Farmers' Body Warns of 'Militant Resistance' Over Proposed India-US Trade Deal

The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Wednesday warned of "militant resistance" from farmers if the Narendra Modi government proceeds with , alleging that concessions to Washington would threaten agriculture in the country and lead to greater corporate consolidation in the sector. In a statement, the farmers' organisation urged the government to reject the proposed agreement, arguing that farmers in the country would be unable to compete with "heavily subsidised" American agricultural producers. Notably, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that , which will be much different than the earlier pacts. Describing the proposed agreement as a surrender to US interests, AIKS warned the Modi government that it will "face militant resistance from the peasantry if it goes ahead with the anti-national trade deal." The farmers' body also called on its units to prepare for a prolonged struggle against it. "The ongoing visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the negotiations he reportedly led with Indian authorities to 'finalise' a trade deal between the US and India, demonstrate that the RSS-BJP-led Union government will go to any extent to please their imperial masters," the AIKS said. The organisation said Parliament had been kept in the dark about the details of the proposed agreement, even as negotiations appeared to be nearing completion. Rubio has , with the US demand to sell milk products in India emerging as the last hurdle, the AIKS said, adding that Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had also said the agreement was in the final stage of legal drafting.