Hundreds of farmers protested in Chandigarh on Friday against a proposed India-U.S. trade agreement and a Punjab land-pooling scheme [1].

The demonstrations highlight growing tension between agricultural workers and government trade ambitions. Protesters said the trade deal would harm Indian agriculture by exposing domestic markets to foreign competition and undermining local pricing.

The rally took place on July 10 [3]. Participants gathered at the Dussehra Ground in Sector 34 and marched through the city [2]. The event was organized by two major farmer organizations, including the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) [2].

Protesters used a variety of vehicles to navigate the city roads. While some reports described a motorcycle march from Mohali to Chandigarh, other accounts noted the presence of tractor-trolleys, buses, and jeeps [1, 2]. The participants chanted slogans against the government as they moved through the streets.

Beyond the international trade deal, the protesters voiced opposition to a revised land-pooling scheme in Punjab [2]. This scheme is a point of contention for those who believe it threatens land ownership, and agricultural stability in the region.

Farmers said the combination of the trade agreement and the land-pooling policy would create an unsustainable environment for small-scale growers [2]. The BKU and its allies used the rally to demand that the government reconsider the terms of the deal with the U.S. to protect domestic farming interests [1, 2].

“Hundreds of farmers protested in Chandigarh on Friday against a proposed India-US trade agreement.”

The protests signify a critical friction point in India's foreign policy, where the desire to strengthen economic ties with the U.S. clashes with the political necessity of protecting a large and vocal agricultural voting bloc. By linking the trade deal to local land-pooling issues in Punjab, farmer organizations are framing the struggle as a broader fight for sovereignty over land and livelihood.