Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte is leading a delegation of more than 30 Montanans to India and Sri Lanka this week as the state seeks to expand trade, education and business ties, including with India’s large market for Montana agricultural products.
The mission runs from October 5 to October 9 and includes representatives from Montana’s agriculture, higher education, critical minerals, manufacturing, photonics, quantum and bioscience industries. Gianforte is scheduled to meet with Indian ministerial leaders and partners in agriculture, trade, bioscience, energy, education and other sectors.
The trip also puts Montana’s pulse-crop exports to India in focus. Montana is the largest U.S. producer of chickpeas and lentils, while India is the world’s largest consumer and importer of pulse crops.
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According to the Montana governor’s office, India purchased more than $14 million worth of Montana peas, lentils and chickpeas, along with commercial aircraft parts, in 2025. The figure was more than $64 million in 2024. India was Montana’s 29th-largest trading partner in 2025.
Gianforte said the delegation would showcase Montana products and emerging industries while expanding educational partnerships and research collaboration.
The trip has also prompted a social-media debate over the distinction between expanding trade with India and concerns about immigration and foreign students. Montana resident Lukas Schubert criticized the mission in a post, saying, “Montana doesn’t need more foreign workers and students. We need to put Montanans First.”
Niraj Antani, a former Ohio state senator and Republican political figure, pushed back against that argument, saying in a social-media response that the governor’s mission is aimed at promoting exports. Antani pointed to Montana’s sales of peas, lentils and chickpeas to India and argued that such exports benefit Montana farmers.
The governor’s office does not describe the mission as an effort to increase foreign-worker or student immigration. Its stated goals include trade, educational partnerships, research collaboration and opening markets for Montana businesses and agricultural producers.
The India leg comes as demand for pulses remains important to the Indian market. India is increasingly dependent on imports to bridge the gap between domestic production and consumption. Reuters reported October 1 that India was considering reducing import duties on lentils and yellow peas to increase supplies and contain food inflation.
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After India, the delegation will travel to Sri Lanka. Montana has maintained a State Partnership Program with Sri Lanka through the Montana National Guard since 2021, focused on areas including disaster preparedness. The two sides signed a 2025 memorandum of understanding expanding cooperation in disaster response, maritime domain awareness and professional military education.
The visit follows growing engagement between Montana and India. Earlier this year, the Indian government gifted Montana a bust of Mahatma Gandhi, now displayed at the University of Montana’s Mansfield Center. The state has also hosted Indian officials and student delegations as part of efforts to deepen educational and economic ties.