U.S. Cotton Duty Exemption Decision Sparks Accusations Against PM Modi by Kejriwal for Allegedly Yielding to Trump
In a recent press conference in the national capital, Arvind Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), accused the Modi government of betraying the farmers of the country by extending the exemption on US cotton import duty.
The latest decision, announced by the Finance Ministry, extends the exemption on cotton import duty for an additional three months, from September 30, 2025, to December 31, 2025. However, the Modi government has not officially confirmed this decision regarding the removal of the 11% import duty on US cotton.
Kejriwal's allegations come after the central government's announcement, which he claims is a betrayal of the farmers as the removal of the import duty makes US cotton cheaper than Indian cotton by an average of Rs 15-20 per kg. The AAP chief did not provide any evidence to support his claims.
The US government issued the temporary abolition of import tariffs on US cotton from August 19 to September 30, 2025, and extended this measure on October 1, 2025. However, the specific government that enacted this tariff suspension and the exact length of the extension beyond October 1 are not clear from the available information.
Kejriwal demanded that the government immediately withdraws the order and restores the 11% import duty on US cotton. He also suggested that India should impose a 100% tariff on American goods in response to US President Donald Trump's actions.
The central government's decision to extend the import duty exemption on US cotton is aimed at ensuring an adequate supply of cotton for the domestic textile industry. The new order exempts US cotton from import duty between August 19 and September 30, a period of 40 days.
This situation may provide additional context as there is a news article titled "'Opportunity To Diversify Exports': India Aims To Look Beyond West After Trump Tariff". As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how the government will respond to Kejriwal's criticism and whether any further action will be taken regarding the US cotton import duty.
