Farmers at Risk: Rahul Gandhi Warns India–US Trade Deal Could Hurt Indian Agriculture

New Delhi, Feb 2026 : Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Centre over the proposed India–United States bilateral trade agreement, alleging that it would severely harm Indian farmers by exposing the agriculture sector to unequal foreign competition.

In a video message shared on social media platform X, Gandhi claimed that farmers cultivating crops such as corn, soybean, cotton and fruits would be the first to bear the brunt of the agreement. He warned that the move was only the beginning and alleged that the government intended to gradually open the entire agricultural sector to foreign interests and large corporate entities.

Drawing a comparison between farming systems in the two countries, Gandhi said American farmers operate on vast landholdings, use advanced mechanised equipment and receive heavy government subsidies. In contrast, he pointed out, Indian farmers largely depend on small plots of land and continue to struggle with rising input costs and uncertainty over Minimum Support Price (MSP).

“The Prime Minister has sold out our soybean, cotton and fruit-growing farmers. This deal puts Indian agriculture at serious risk,” Gandhi alleged, asserting that foreign players had long sought access to India’s farm sector and that the government had now enabled it.

He further claimed that external pressure played a role in shaping the agreement, alleging that former US President Donald Trump had exerted pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open up Indian agriculture.

Reiterating that farmers are the backbone of the Indian economy, Gandhi said the Congress party had a long history of safeguarding food security and protecting cultivators’ interests. He accused the Prime Minister of being “anti-farmer” and recalled the three farm laws introduced earlier, which were opposed by the Opposition and later repealed after prolonged protests.

“I have spoken the truth in Parliament. You can file cases against me, bring privilege motions, or do whatever you want,” Gandhi said, adding that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the entire party stood firmly with farmers.

The Leader of Opposition also reacted to a move by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP seeking to introduce a Substantive Motion in Parliament for cancellation of his Lok Sabha membership and a lifetime ban on contesting elections. In another social media post, Gandhi said he would not be intimidated by FIRs, criminal cases or privilege motions.

He concluded by asserting that any trade agreement that threatens farmers’ livelihoods or undermines India’s food security would be strongly opposed by the Congress, both inside and outside Parliament.