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US seeks greater India market access for Kentucky Bourbon
Congressional hearing highlighted trade barriers affecting American agricultural and manufactured exports.
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IANS - Wed, 15, Jul 2026
- 03:28 EDT
- 27
A congressional hearing in Washington discusses expanding U.S. exports, including Kentucky Bourbon, to India. / IANS
U.S. officials have signaled a push to expand Kentucky Bourbon exports to India as Washington seeks greater market access for American agricultural and manufactured products.
The issue surfaced during a joint congressional hearing on commercial diplomacy involving the State and Commerce departments. Republican Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky asked whether the Commerce Department could help promote American bourbon in India's growing whiskey market.
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Barr said he recently discussed the issue with U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
"India is a whiskey drinking market," Barr said before contrasting Scotch whisky with Kentucky Bourbon.
"I did have to tell the Minister of Commerce in India that remember that Scotch whisky is the drink of the occupier, the imperial whiskey, and Kentucky Bourbon is the drink of freedom. So we want them to import more Kentucky Bourbon whiskey and maybe less of that Scotch whisky," he said.
David Fogel, assistant secretary of commerce for global markets and director general of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, said supporting American exporters is a core part of the department's work.
"That's what we do every day," Fogel said.
He said the U.S. Commercial Service works directly with American businesses, including Kentucky Bourbon producers, to help them enter overseas markets and expand existing sales.
"Our team on the ground, the Foreign Commercial Service, will then meet with the relevant ministries and advocate to bring those non-tariff barriers down," Fogel said.
India also featured in a broader discussion on trade negotiations and challenges facing U.S. agricultural exporters.
A California lawmaker told the hearing that American producers of rice, walnuts and almonds continue to face foreign subsidies and trade barriers, while noting that Washington is pursuing trade negotiations with India, Japan and other countries.
Caleb Orr, assistant secretary of state for economic, energy and business affairs, said President Donald Trump has prioritized reducing barriers affecting U.S. agricultural exports.
"Our economic officers are focused on changing some of these policies that put up barriers to American agricultural exports," Orr said.
The hearing examined coordination between the State and Commerce departments in advancing U.S. commercial interests abroad. Lawmakers also raised concerns about staffing shortages, overlapping responsibilities and the limited overseas presence of Foreign Commercial Service officers.
Fogel said the service operates in markets accounting for about 95 percent of global gross domestic product and identified artificial intelligence, energy, critical minerals and manufacturing among the department's priority sectors.
India is one of the world's largest alcoholic beverage markets, though imports are subject to central duties as well as state-level taxes and regulations. Market access for imported spirits has long been part of trade discussions between India and its major trading partners.
Bourbon is a distinctive American whiskey produced in the United States from a grain mixture containing at least 51 percent corn and aged in new charred oak barrels.
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