Montana Governor Greg Gianforte arrived in New Delhi on Monday with a delegation of more than 30 state officials to pitch the state's leading pulse crops, including lentils and chickpeas, to India's 1.4‑billion‑person market.
Montana is the largest U.S. producer of lentils and chickpeas, yet its 2025 pulse exports to India totaled only $14 million, making India the state's 29th‑largest trading partner.
The trip has drawn fire from MAGA hardliners who accuse the governor of selling American products abroad while Indian academics allegedly undermine local universities. A Twitter post from a Montana resident stated, "You need to be in America working for Americans, not jews or Indians." Critics point to Montana State University faculty Shivali Banerjee, a Ph.D. holder from IIT Bombay, as a symbol of "foreign influence."
Texas Governor Greg Abbott faced a similar backlash after announcing a freeze on new H‑1B petitions in January, sparking criticism from Indian‑American voters while still courting the state's sizable Indian business community. Abbott's order aimed to prioritize jobs for Texans, but his outreach to Indian‑American voters remains a tightrope walk.
Local Montana farmer Randy O'Neil told reporters, "We need new markets for our lentils; the state can't keep them stuck in local farms." He said the export push could bring vital revenue to rural economies.
The governor plans to return to the U.S. on October 9 before heading to Sri Lanka, and the state's legislature will hold a hearing on July 15 to discuss foreign trade policy amid the controversy.