Farmers from Punjab and Haryana halted a march toward Delhi on Tuesday morning to protest a trade deal between India and the U.S. [1, 2].
The demonstration highlights growing anxiety among agrarian workers who believe international trade agreements may jeopardize local livelihoods and domestic food security.
Participants belonging to the United Kisan Morcha stopped their progress at the Haryana-Punjab border, specifically at the Mohali-Chandigarh crossing [1, 2]. The group had been marching toward Kisan Ghat in Delhi to voice grievances regarding the India-US trade deal and other agrarian issues [1, 2].
Reports on the size of the protest vary. Some sources indicate that thousands of farmers started the march [1], while other reports describe a group of 51 members [3].
The protesters said the trade deal would damage Indian agriculture [2]. By stopping at the border, the farmers displayed their specific demands to the public and authorities, signaling a refusal to proceed until their concerns are addressed [1, 2].
This movement follows a pattern of agrarian unrest in the region, where farmers have frequently organized to oppose policies they perceive as detrimental to small-scale farming. The United Kisan Morcha continues to coordinate participants from multiple states to ensure their demands reach the national government in Delhi [1].
“Farmers say the India-US trade deal will damage Indian agriculture.”
The protest reflects a systemic tension between India's goals for global trade integration and the protection of its massive agrarian workforce. By targeting a U.S. trade deal, the United Kisan Morcha is challenging the government's ability to balance macroeconomic growth with the socio-economic stability of rural Punjab and Haryana.
