Farmers' unions led by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) protested across India on 12 February 2026, the day of a trade-union Bharat Bandh, against the India-US interim trade framework announced days earlier. In July 2026 convoys heading to Delhi against trade deals with the US, EU, UK and New Zealand were stopped at the Haryana border. The government says dairy, rice, wheat and other sensitive products are fully protected; the deal has not stopped the protests, which continued in Punjab in September.
Key takeaways
- The India-US interim trade framework released on 6 February 2026 cut the US tariff on most Indian goods from 50% to 18%, and India agreed to buy $500 billion of US goods over five years.
- Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the India-US trade framework was "completely protecting sensitive agricultural and dairy products", naming maize, wheat, rice, soya, poultry, milk products and ethanol.
- Ten central trade unions called a 24-hour Bharat Bandh on 12 February 2026 against the four labour codes and other measures, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) joined, and no violence or arrests were reported.
- On 12 February 2026 thousands of farmers in Bihar, Haryana, Odisha, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu burned copies of the India-US trade pact, while some farmers in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan had praised the deal on 7 February.
- On 20 July 2026 many farmers' convoys heading to a Desh Bachao Morcha rally at Kisan Ghat in Delhi were stopped near the Haryana-Punjab border, though some protesters reached Kisan Ghat on 21 July.
- Farmers' unions demand that agriculture, dairy and poultry be kept out of trade deals with the US, EU, UK and New Zealand, a legal guarantee for minimum support price, and publication of the negotiating texts.
- The SKM began a week-long sit-in at the Chandigarh-Mohali border on 1 September 2026, showing the farm protests against the trade deals had not ended.
The trade framework
Documented The US and India released an interim trade framework on 6 February 2026. The US tariff on most Indian goods fell from 50% to 18%, after a 25% penalty linked to India's Russian oil purchases was rescinded when India agreed to shift oil buying to the US and Venezuela. India agreed to buy $500 billion of US goods over five years, including energy, aircraft and technology. Khaleej Times/Reuters
On farm goods, India agreed to cut or remove duties on dried distillers' grains, red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, and wine and spirits. Government's position Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India was "completely protecting sensitive agricultural and dairy products", naming maize, wheat, rice, soya, poultry, milk products, ethanol and some vegetables and meat. Khaleej Times/Reuters
Not all farmers opposed it. On 7 February some farmers in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and Prabhakar Mishra of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Mahatma Tikait), praised the deal. A Jamnagar farmer said it would help Saurashtra's spice growers. IANS
The 12 February Bharat Bandh
Ten central trade unions, including INTUC, AITUC, HMS and CITU, called a 24-hour strike on 12 February against the four labour codes, the draft Seed Bill, the Electricity Amendment Bill and the repeal of MGNREGA. The SKM and the All India Kisan Sabha joined. The RSS-linked Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh called it politically motivated and stayed out. Business Standard
Unions claimed participation in nearly 600 districts and about 30 crore workers; no government estimate was found. Kerala largely shut down, with buses off the roads and offices and colleges closed. The Kerala government declared the day "dies non" for its staff, meaning absentees lose pay. No violence or arrests were reported. Statesman
The same day, thousands of farmers protested in Bihar, Haryana, Odisha, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, burning copies of the trade pact and effigies of Prime Minister Modi and President Trump. Opposition MPs protested outside Parliament with placards reading "Trap Deal". Reuters via ThePoultrySite Reuters footage Local media reported economic activity largely normal outside the strike's strongholds. ThePoultrySite
Claim · Opposition The government had "surrendered" farmers' interests. Claim · Piyush Goyal Safeguards were in place and the opposition was misleading farmers. Reuters via ThePoultrySite Rakesh Tikait said farmers had pledged not to "cede their fields to market forces". ThePoultrySite
The July convoys to Delhi
Before July, Punjab unions held motorcycle rallies across Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, let vehicles through more than 40 toll plazas without paying, and burned a Central government effigy near Amritsar during the PM's visit. The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee said its district president was placed under house detention. SabrangIndia
On 20 July 2026 convoys from Punjab and other states set out for a rally at Kisan Ghat in Delhi under the Desh Bachao Morcha banner, coordinated by Sarwan Singh Pandher. Many were stopped at border points, and a large number were held near the Haryana-Punjab border. Tejveer Singh of BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) alleged Haryana police put barricades outside their jurisdiction, inside Punjab. Some protesters reached Kisan Ghat on 21 July. Down To Earth SabrangIndia
The SKM wrote to President Droupadi Murmu calling the agreements "a serious threat to farmers, agriculture and micro, small and medium enterprises". It cited the gap in scale: an average US farm of 469 acres against about 2.67 acres in India, where 86% of farmers own less than five acres. Down To Earth
What farmers are demanding
- Cancel the India-US negotiations and halt the deals with the EU, UK and New Zealand, or keep agriculture, dairy and poultry out of them.
- Publish the negotiating texts and hold a debate in Parliament.
- A legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP), and loan waivers.
- Withdraw the Seed Bill, 2025 and the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2025.
Sources: Down To Earth SabrangIndia ThePrint
Timeline
Interim framework released
US tariff cut to 18%. Reuters
Bharat Bandh and farm protests
Unions strike; SKM protests nationwide. Statesman
Convoys stopped
Held near the Haryana-Punjab border. Down To Earth
Kisan Ghat rally and Resolution Day
Village-level pledges against the FTAs. Down To Earth
Chandigarh-Mohali sit-in
SKM week-long protest; roads diverted. ThePrint
Both accounts
Farmers' account
Subsidised US imports will depress prices for small farmers, the deals were negotiated without consultation and under corporate pressure, and the texts have not been made public. Down To Earth
Government account
Sensitive farm and dairy products are excluded, safeguards are in place, and the deal opens a $30 trillion US market to Indian exporters. The opposition is misleading farmers. Khaleej Times/Reuters
Outcome so far
- Deal: Interim framework in place; a formal agreement was targeted for March 2026. No signed final text was found in the sources.
- Arrests and violence: None reported in February; convoys blocked in July.
- Protests: Continuing, with a week-long SKM sit-in at the Chandigarh-Mohali border from 1 September. ThePrint
Questions people ask
Why are farmers protesting in 2026?
Mainly against the India-US interim trade framework and other trade deals, which they fear will let in subsidised imports. They also want a legal MSP guarantee and the withdrawal of the Seed and Electricity Amendment Bills.
When was the 2026 Bharat Bandh?
On 12 February 2026, called by ten central trade unions against the labour codes, with farmers' groups joining.
Does the India-US trade deal include dairy?
According to Piyush Goyal, no. He said dairy, poultry, rice, wheat, maize and other sensitive products are protected. India did agree to cut duties on items such as tree nuts, fruit, soybean oil and animal feed.
Were farmers stopped from entering Delhi?
Yes, many convoys were stopped at border points on 20 July 2026, though some protesters reached Kisan Ghat on 21 July.
Do all farmers oppose the deal?
No. Some farmers in Gujarat, UP and Rajasthan and the BKU (Mahatma Tikait) praised it in February 2026.
Sources
- Khaleej Times/Reuters: US and India unveil interim trade framework, 7 Feb 2026
- IANS: Farmers hail India-US trade deal, 7 Feb 2026
- Business Standard: Nationwide strike against labour codes, 11 Feb 2026
- Statesman: Bharat Bandh today, Kerala shuts down, 12 Feb 2026
- Reuters via ThePoultrySite: Indian farmers rally nationwide over trade deal with US, 13 Feb 2026
- Reuters footage: farmers protest trade deal, 12 Feb 2026
- SabrangIndia: India-US trade deal faces mounting resistance, 20 Jul 2026
- Down To Earth: Farmers protest against India-US trade talks as convoys stopped near Delhi, 21 Jul 2026
- ThePrint: SKM begins week-long protest at Chandigarh-Mohali border, 1 Sep 2026