THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
President Donald Trump finds himself in an uncomfortable situation that perfectly illustrates the unintended consequences of trade wars. Two Republican senators from his own party are now asking him to fix a problem that his own policies created.
In 2025, Trump imposed hefty 50% tariffs on goods coming from India. It was part of his broader strategy to use tariffs as a tool to reshape America’s trade relationships. India didn’t respond with loud protests or angry statements. Instead, they quietly implemented a 30% tariff on American yellow peas and other pulses on November 1, 2025.
This might sound like a small, technical trade issue. But for farmers in Montana and North Dakota—the two biggest pulse-producing states in America—it’s devastating. India is the world’s largest consumer of pulses, buying roughly 27% of all pulses globally. Lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, and peas are staples of the Indian diet. Losing access to this massive market hits American farmers hard.
The Political Bind
Now Senators Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Steve Daines of Montana have written to President Trump begging for help. They want him to negotiate with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to get India to reduce or remove the pulse tariff.
Here’s where it gets awkward. How exactly does Trump make this case? The conversation would go something like this:
Trump: “Prime Minister Modi, we need you to lower your 30% tariff on our pulses. It’s hurting our farmers.”
Modi: “Of course, Mr. President. And when will you be lowering your 50% tariff on our goods?”
Trump is essentially asking for a favor while refusing to give one in return. He started the tariff fight, India responded in kind, and now he’s supposed to complain about India’s retaliation with a straight face.
India’s Smart Strategy
India’s approach has been clever. They didn’t impose tariffs broadly or make a big public show of it. Instead, they targeted a specific agricultural product that matters enormously to two politically important American states. The message is clear without being loud: if you hit us, we’ll hit you back where it hurts.
By keeping the response measured and quiet, India avoided looking like an aggressor while still inflicting real economic pain. They’ve put Trump in a position where he either has to back down on his broader tariff policy, ask for a one-sided concession that he won’t get, or offer to reduce his own tariffs in exchange—which would mean admitting his original strategy backfired.
The Bigger Lesson
This situation shows the fundamental problem with tariff wars. Once both sides start retaliating, nobody has the moral high ground anymore. You can’t claim someone else is being unfair when you started the fight. You can’t ask for relief from their tariffs while keeping your own in place.
The senators are asking Trump to negotiate his way out of a mess that his own policy created. It’s like punching someone and then asking them to stop pushing you back. The request might be sincere—Montana and North Dakota farmers are genuinely suffering—but the position is inherently weak.
Trump built his trade policy on the idea that America could impose tariffs and force other countries to accept unfavorable terms because they need access to the American market more than America needs them. But India just demonstrated that they have leverage too. They can target specific American industries and create political pressure inside the United States.
Conclusion
President Trump now faces an uncomfortable choice. He can continue his hard line on tariffs and watch farmers in key Republican states suffer. He can try to negotiate with Modi from a position of obvious hypocrisy. Or he can back down and reduce his own tariffs, which would undermine the entire premise of his trade strategy.
This is the trap of escalating trade wars. It’s easy to start them, but getting out requires either admitting you were wrong or accepting ongoing damage to your own economy. The farmers in Montana and North Dakota are now caught in the middle, paying the price for a policy that was supposed to make America stronger but instead gave India a weapon to use against American interests.
The irony is sharp, and the awkwardness is real. Trump wanted to use tariffs to project strength. Instead, he’s created a situation where his own supporters are begging him to fix the problems those tariffs caused.
References
1.https://news24online.com/world/us-lawmakers-urge-trump-to-ease-indias-30-import-duty-on-pulse-did-modi-govt-silently-strike-back-amid-recent-tariffs/715126/
2.https://tfipost.com/2026/01/indias-30-pulse-tariff-signals-quiet-pushback-against-us-trade-pressure/
3.https://zeenews.india.com/india/trump-to-get-taste-of-his-own-medicine-india-s-quiet-tariff-on-us-pulses-sparks-fresh-trade-tensions-3007805.html
4.https://sundayguardianlive.com/world/trade-dispute-whats-driving-us-senators-to-push-trump-on-indias-pulse-tariffs-ahead-of-trade-talks-164882/
