India Calls Out Western Double Standards in Dairy Trade

As global tariff tensions escalate, particularly around agriculture and dairy, India has strongly criticized what it sees as the West’s double standards in trade policy. A recent opinion piece in The Hindu Business Line argues that while Western economies demand liberalization and open access to Indian markets, they themselves continue to heavily subsidize their own dairy and farm sectors.

The article points to the European Union’s long-standing support mechanisms for cheese and wine exports and the U.S.'s extensive subsidies for milk and corn, arguing that these distort international trade and disadvantage small farmers in developing economies. India’s use of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards to regulate dairy imports—often viewed by the West as protectionist—are in fact defensive tools to ensure food safety, protect public health, and shield 80 million dairy farmers from subsidized global competition.

In WTO negotiations, India has consistently advocated for special and differential treatment for developing nations, a position that is often resisted by wealthier countries that simultaneously protect their own producers. The editorial suggests a need for developing countries like India to form stronger coalitions and push back against unfair tariff narratives that ignore the complexities of domestic food security and livelihoods.

Industry Insight: For India’s dairy sector, maintaining robust SPS standards and policy autonomy is crucial—not just for consumer safety but for the survival of millions of marginal farmers. The global narrative around “free trade” must acknowledge these realities.