The White House has made key revisions to the factsheet on the India-US trade deal just hours after its release. These include removing tariffs on certain pulses from the list and changing the $500 billion purchase commitment to an intention. The changes are seen as beneficial for India.
The White House released a factsheet on the framework of the India-US trade deal on February 9, 2026. Just hours or a day later, on February 10, several quiet revisions were made to the document following indications from New Delhi of inadvertent inclusions.
One major change is the removal of 'certain pulses' from the list of agricultural products on which India agreed to eliminate or reduce tariffs. The original factsheet stated that India would eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, certain pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits. In the revised version, pulses have been excluded from this list. Pulses are a politically sensitive crop in India, the world's largest producer and consumer, encompassing lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans.
Another significant omission concerns digital services taxes. The original document stated that India 'will remove its digital services taxes,' but the revised version makes no mention of this. Instead, it now states that India is 'committed to negotiate' digital trade rules. Notably, India had already removed its 6% equalization levy on digital advertising services effective April 1, 2025.
A third key revision relates to the $500 billion purchase. The original implied a 'commitment' from India to buy $500 billion worth of US energy products, aircraft and parts, precious metals, technology products, and coking coal. It has now been changed to an 'intention': 'India intends to purchase $500 billion of U.S. energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts... over the next 5 years.' Additionally, the word 'agricultural' was removed from the product list. This language aligns with the joint statement issued on February 7.
The White House has offered no comment on the revisions. These changes raise further questions about the deal's nature but appear favorable to India.
