India implemented a 30% import tariff on yellow peas originating from the United States, which became effective on November 1, 2025. This decision has sparked concerns among American pulse crop producers, particularly in North Dakota and Montana, which are leading states in pulse cultivation. In response, Senators Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Steve Daines of Montana penned a letter to former President Donald Trump on January 16, 2026, requesting his intervention with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The senators urged Trump to advocate for favorable pulse crop provisions in any forthcoming bilateral trade agreement between the US and India, highlighting the significant competitive disadvantage faced by American farmers due to these tariffs. They emphasized India's position as the world's largest consumer of pulses, accounting for about 27% of global consumption. This is not the first time such concerns have been raised; the senators had similarly appealed to then-President Trump during his first term, ahead of 2020 trade negotiations, with Trump reportedly hand-delivering their letter to PM Modi. While India had removed retaliatory tariffs on certain US pulses, like chickpeas and lentils, in June 2023 under the Biden administration, the recent 30% tariff on yellow peas appears to be a new measure. Some reports suggest this latest tariff could be a retaliatory move by India against Trump's earlier imposition of 50% tariffs on Indian goods in August 2025, reportedly linked to India's continued imports of Russian oil. This ongoing trade friction underscores the complex economic relationship between the two nations, with agriculture remaining a key point of disagreement.