US Trade Talks May Be Cracking India’s Opposition to GM Crops

In a world where an ever-growing portion of grains is grown from genetically modified seeds, India has sat on the sidelines — a major farming nation that has almost entirely blocked the cultivation of engineered food crops.

Now that opposition, deeply held by some influential rural groups and environmentalists, is coming under increased pressure, in what could be positive news for trade talks between New Delhi and Washington. Those negotiations have stalled in part because of India’s reluctance to import agricultural goods from the US, where GM corn and soybeans are common.

During last month’s talks in Washington, concessions offered ...