India, the global leader in milk production, faces a critical juncture as it engages in trade discussions with the United States. Central to these talks is the protection of millions of small dairy farmers, who risk being overshadowed by a potential influx of U.S. dairy imports.

The United States, with a dairy export market worth $8.22 billion, seeks to penetrate India’s tightly-guarded dairy market. However, Indian industry leaders and government officials remain firm about not yielding cheap access, wary of the competitive mismatch due to differing herd sizes and production practices.

Concerns extend beyond economics to cultural preferences, as Indian consumers generally oppose animal by-products in cattle feed. As negotiations proceed, the potential implications for India’s vast rural workforce and traditional dairy practices underscore the stakes involved.