FSSAI 'Promise', Irked Sangh Affiliates: Double Trouble For Centre As US Pushes For GM Crops
New Delhi is deeply concerned about the US's insistence that India permit the import of genetically-modified (GM) products, which are widely controversial in India.
As India and the United States navigate complex negotiations over a Bilateral Trade Agreement concerning agricultural products, a particularly sensitive issue has emerged – agriculture. The US aims to introduce its apples, corn, and soybeans into the Indian market. However, New Delhi is deeply concerned about the US's insistence that India permit the import of genetically-modified (GM) products, which are widely controversial in India. To date, BT Cotton is the only GM crop approved for commercial cultivation in India, since 2002.
New Delhi's concerns are well-founded, with both legal and political dimensions. In 2017, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) assured the Supreme Court that no GMOs were allowed in the country. However, the following year, this stance was somewhat adjusted.
In 2007, the Union Health Ministry had issued a notification directing the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to continue regulating GM food as the FSSAI had not yet formulated the necessary regulations or had the required domain expertise. Consequently, the GEAC transferred nine applications for the import of herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant soybean and rapeseed oils from Monsanto Holdings, Dow AgroSciences, and Pioneer Hi-Bred Seeds to the FSSAI.
In August 2017, the Supreme Court instructed the FSSAI to create regulations and guidelines for GM food articles and to seek Parliament's approval for them. Yet, by 2018, the FSSAI was still in the process of doing so, according to its own admission.
The current trade negotiations have hit a new hurdle with the US steadfast on pushing GM maize and GM soybeans, neither of which are legally permitted in India. Government sources suggest that any alteration in this stance could trigger judicial intervention and provoke the ire of the extensive farmers' lobby in India, who view GM crops as detrimental. Consequently, the government is cognizant of the significant political costs involved in altering the status quo for a trade deal.
As discussions continue between New Delhi and Washington DC, this impasse might delay the agreement beyond the anticipated July 8 deadline, after which new tariffs of 26 per cent are set to be implemented in the absence of a trade deal.
WHY WILL IT ANGER RSS AFFILIATES?
Even the faintest hint of compromising on the issue of GM crops will first face opposition from within – particularly from affiliates of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), the RSS's economic wing, has been a vociferous critic of GM crops and foods in India for an extended period.
Ashwani Mahajan, the Co-Convenor of SJM, elaborates, 'There are three reasons we oppose GM crops. Firstly, the incidence of cancer in the US is 350 per 100,000 people, compared to 100 per 100,000 in India, largely due to prevalent GM crops in the US. Do we want that? Secondly, our food exports, particularly to European nations that have banned GM foods, stand at $50 billion. If we permit GM crops, they will inevitably infiltrate our food system, jeopardising our exports. Lastly, there are numerous voices within the government against GM crops."
Recently, a NITI Aayog working paper recommended that the Centre import genetically modified agricultural products like maize and soybean. Coincidentally, the US is also advocating for the inclusion of these GM products in India. In response, another Sangh affiliate, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), launched a vehement critique against the NITI Aayog, accusing it of capitulating to US demands.
Mahajan adds that the Modi government seems to be standing firm on this issue. 'According to my information, the Centre isn't going that way, for which I am thankful," he states.
WHAT ARE GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS?
Genetically Modified (GM) crops are plants whose genetic material has been altered using biotechnology to introduce desirable traits. This modification is done by inserting genes from other organisms to improve resistance to pests, diseases, or environmental conditions, or to enhance nutritional value and shelf life. Unlike traditional crossbreeding, GM technology allows precise changes at the DNA level.
While GM crops can boost yields and reduce pesticide use, they also raise concerns about environmental impact, food safety, and corporate control of seeds, sparking global debates over their adoption and regulation.
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FSSAI genetically modified crops India-US trade deal rss
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New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
June 26, 2025, 11:10 IST
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