Farmers Protest Proposed Indo-US Trade Agreement, Stopped at Shambhu Border

A large number of farmers from Punjab, who were on their way to Delhi to hold a Kisan Mahapanchayat at Kisan Ghat, were stopped at Shambhu on the border of Punjab and Haryana. The Haryana Police put up barricades to stop farmers from moving ahead to raise voice against proposed Indo-US trade ageeement. The barricading was done as was done in February 2024 when farmers had given call for Delhi Chalo-2 demanding legal right of minimum support price on all crops. Then farmers kept on sitting for over a year at Shambhu and Khanauri borders. The farmers from Punjab upon being stopped at Shambhu decided to hold protest there and accused both Punjab and Haryana governments of stopping farmers from reaching Delhi. BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh functionary from Ambala Tezveer Singh said that Haryana police put up barricades on the territory of Punjab and the Punjab government not stopped them from stopping farmers in Punjab. The farmers from Haryana though headed towards Delhi from Ambala, Kurukshetra and other places. Farmers from many states including Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh Monday had left for Delhi on Monday to participate in Kisan Mahapanchayat under the banner of Desh Bachao Morcha on Tuesday, demanding the cancellation of the proposed Indo–US Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Farmer organization Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) functionary Sarwan Singh Pandher said that the convoys of KMSC, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (Punjab Chapter), Azaad Kisan Morcha (AKM), BKU Ekta Sangharsh, headed to Delhi from different parts of Punjab. Pandher stated that in the India–US joint statement issued in February 2026, both countries agreed to work towards negotiating the first tranche of a mutually beneficial, multi -sector bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by fall 2026. This indicates that the proposed agreement will not be limited to a few commodities but may encompass agriculture, dairy, industry, digital trade, e-commerce, investment, government procurement, intellectual property rights, and the services sector. He further said that previous US trade documents and annual trade reports have consistently sought greater market access in India's agriculture and dairy sectors. These documents have called for reducing tariffs on products such as soybeans, corn (maize), cotton, ethanol, apples, almonds, and other agricultural commodities, while also seeking wider access for the US dairy products, poultry, fruits, fisheries products, coconuts, and other commodities in the Indian market.

Farmer functionaries pointed out that while the United States provides substantial subsidies to its farmers, the overwhelming majority of Indian farmers are small and marginal landholders. If low-cost American agricultural and dairy products enter the Indian market on a large scale, they could seriously threaten the livelihoods of Indian farmers, dairy producers, small traders, and micro and small enterprises. They further stated that India's dairy sector supports the livelihoods of nearly 80 million rural families. Any adverse impact on this sector could have far-reaching consequences for the rural economy and employment. Similarly, the seed industry, food processing sector, small businesses, and agriculture -based industries may also face significant negative effects. The Desh Bachao Morcha demanded that the Central Government make all documents related to the proposed India–US Trade Agreement public and refrain from signing any agreement without holding comprehensive consultations with farmers, workers, dairy producers, small traders, and other stakeholders.