White House Rewrites India-U.S. Trade Deal Factsheet Within 24 Hours

White House Revises India-U.S. Interim Trade Factsheet; Key Language on Pulses, Digital Taxes & Purchases Softened

White House Revises India-U.S. Interim Trade Factsheet; Key Language on Pulses, Digital Taxes & Purchases SoftenedWithin 24 hours of releasing its interim trade agreement factsheet with India, the White House quietly revised the document to align its language more closely with the official Joint Statement and to address concerns raised by New Delhi — particularly around sensitive domestic sectors like agriculture and digital taxation. 

One of the most significant changes was the removal of any reference to “certain pulses” — such as lentils and dry beans — from the list of U.S. agricultural products on which India would eliminate or reduce tariffs. The earlier version had included pulses alongside items like tree nuts, soybean oil, wine and spirits, which triggered strong reactions from Indian farmers and stakeholders who feared cheap imports could disrupt the domestic pulse market. Pulses are a politically sensitive category in India given the country’s position as the world’s largest producer and consumer, and they were not mentioned in the Joint Statement released by both governments.

Another major adjustment concerns India’s Digital Services Tax (DST). The original factsheet asserted that India would remove its digital services taxes as part of the deal. This language has been deleted in the revised version. Instead, the updated document states that both sides are committed to negotiating a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules — without explicitly committing India to eliminate its digital taxes. Industry analysts say this reflects ongoing negotiations rather than a final agreement on digital taxes, and avoids locking India into a specific tax policy.

The third key change involves the $500 billion purchase target that was highlighted in the initial factsheet. The earlier version said India was “committed” to buying more American products and acquiring over $500 billion worth of U.S. energy, technology and other goods over the next five years. The revised text now uses the softer phrase “intends to buy”, signalling a non-binding, aspirational goal rather than a firm contractual obligation. This adjustment echoes the language in the February 6 Joint Statement and underscores that the pact remains a framework for cooperation under negotiation rather than a finalized legal treaty.

These revisions to the White House factsheet — removal of pulses, softening on digital tax language, and the shift from “commitment” to “intention” on purchasing — suggest that both governments are trying to balance domestic political sensitivities with the broader strategic goal of strengthening economic ties. Although the core interim framework continues to aim at reducing tariffs, boosting bilateral trade, and deepening cooperation in sectors like technology and energy, the nuanced wording changes illustrate how complex trade negotiations can evolve even after high-level announcements.