NEW DELHI — Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and several other Indian states marched toward the national capital on Tuesday to protest a proposed India-U.S. trade agreement, saying it could expose domestic agriculture to cheaper imports and threaten rural livelihoods, while authorities tightened security at key border crossings into Delhi.
Farmer groups gathered under the banner of the Desh Bachao Morcha for a "Kisan Mahapanchayat" at Kisan Ghat in Delhi. Organisers said participants from hundreds of farmers' unions and social organisations were expected to attend, although those figures could not be independently verified.
The Haryana government sealed the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana with barricades, concrete blocks and a heavy police presence as convoys of buses and private vehicles carrying protesters moved toward the capital. Farmer leaders accused the authorities of attempting to prevent demonstrators from reaching the rally, while officials said security arrangements were intended to maintain public order.
Farmer organisations opposing the proposed trade pact say lower tariffs on certain U.S. agricultural products could undermine Indian farmers by increasing competition from imported goods. Protest leaders have also expressed concerns about the potential effects of the agreement on dairy producers, traders and rural employment.
The Indian government has previously rejected claims that the agreement would harm the farm sector. Trade Minister Piyush Goyal has said sensitive agricultural products, including staples and dairy items, remain protected under the framework and has argued that the arrangement would create broader economic opportunities while safeguarding key domestic interests.
The latest mobilisation follows nationwide demonstrations earlier this year against the interim trade framework with the United States, when farmer organisations and labour unions staged coordinated protests over concerns that the agreement would affect agriculture and small businesses.
As of Tuesday, police remained deployed at major entry points into Delhi while the planned gathering at Kisan Ghat proceeded under heightened security. No official reports of major violence linked to the march had been issued by the time of publication.
