Delhi Farmers’ Protest: Why Are Farmers Marching to the Capital? | Today’s news
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and several other states are heading to Delhi on Tuesday to attend a Kisan Mahapanchayat against the proposed India-US trade deal, saying the deal could seriously damage India’s agriculture and dairy sector.
The protest is being held amid tight security at the Punjab-Haryana border, where Haryana police have erected concrete barricades and deployed heavy forces at the Shambhu border to prevent farmers from entering the capital, news agency PTI reported.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher accused the Haryana government of stopping protesters from traveling peacefully to Delhi and said the action exposed the “true face of the state”.
The day-long Kisan Mahapanchayat, organized under the banner of Desh Bachao Morcha, is scheduled to be held at Kisan Ghat in Delhi.
Why are farmers protesting?
According to PTI, farmers’ organizations say the proposed bilateral trade deal could allow more imports of subsidized US agricultural and dairy products into India by reducing tariffs and facilitating market access.
Protesters say cheaper imports of products such as soybeans, corn, cotton, apples, almonds, dairy products and poultry could make it harder for Indian farmers – most of whom own small plots of land – to compete, reduce farm incomes and affect rural livelihoods.
They argue that American farmers receive higher government subsidies and operate on much larger farms, giving them a competitive advantage over Indian producers.
Farmer officials also warned that the proposed deal could affect non-agricultural sectors, including dairy, fisheries, digital commerce, e-commerce, investment, small businesses and micro-industry.
What do farmers demand?
The protesters are demanding that the Center cancel the proposed trade deal between India and the US and release all documents related to the negotiations.
They also sought wider consultation with farmers’ organizations and other stakeholders before finalizing any trade pact.
The proposed agreement was first announced in a joint Indo-US statement issued in February 2025, in which the two countries agreed to negotiate the first tranche of a multi-sector bilateral trade agreement by autumn 2025.
