After CJP, now farmers from Punjab, Haryana walk in protest towards Delhi against India-US trade deal; all you need to know
A senior Haryana Police officer told the media that around 15 companies of security forces, including paramilitary personnel, had been deployed at the Shambhu border.
NewsBharati 21-Jul-2026 13:08:39 PM
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A day after the CJP protest turned violent in New Delhi with the 'student' protesters pelting stones at Delhi Police and vandalizing public vehicles, thousands of farmers from Punjab are now heading to Delhi. They are protesting against the US-India trade deal. However, amid this, to prevent violent clashes, the Haryana Police has shut down the Shambhu Border, and heavy cement-block barricades have been set up.
What the India-US trade deal reads
The government insists that agricultural and dairy products India produces in sufficient quantity, including maize, wheat, rice, sugar, soybean and poultry, have been kept outside tariff concessions, and in return, Indian items like spices, tea, coffee, cashew nuts, avocado, banana, mango, kiwi and papaya will get zero-duty access in the US.
Why farmers are showing distrust in the deal signed by the government
Farmers argue the deal will expose Indian agriculture to unequal competition, since agriculture in the United States is carried out on a large commercial scale and receives substantial government support through subsidies, unlike India's mostly small and marginal cultivators. They fear the US will dump cheaper produce into the Indian market, leaving Indian farmers unable to compete and potentially forcing many out of farming altogether.
As per the protesting farmers, agriculture and dairy have been protected under the deal, but no formal text has been released, and it remains unclear how many products are actually covered under India's tariff commitments. Farmers point out that an average Indian farmer holds only around two to three acres of land, while American agriculture is highly mechanised and heavily subsidized by the US government, so even partial access for the US would let subsidized produce undercut Indian prices.
Beyond farm goods, protesters say the pact also proposes to remove or reduce tariffs on e-commerce, digital trade, and intellectual property rights, which they see as favoring large corporations over small producers.
Why borders have been closed
Protests, effigy-burnings, and tractor marches have taken place across Haryana districts including Kurukshetra, Ambala, and Kaithal since earlier this year. Taking this into consideration, Haryana Police detained BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni amid the farmers' march to Delhi.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has repeatedly pushed back on the criticism, maintaining that the deal fully safeguards India's agricultural interests, particularly the farm and dairy sectors, and that farmers' interests were treated as non-negotiable in the negotiations. The situation appears to remain tense, with fresh detentions and protests reported as recently as yesterday.
The farmer unions called for a mahapanchayat at Kisan Ghat in New Delhi; however, to prevent violent clashes by the protesters, the Haryana Police has sealed the Haryana–Punjab border at Shambhu in Ambala district on Tuesday, July 21.
A senior Haryana Police officer told the media that around 15 companies of security forces, including paramilitary personnel, had been deployed at the Shambhu border. According to the police, hundreds of farmers had already gathered at the border with plans to march towards Delhi to participate in the mahapanchayat. To prevent the probable violent movement of protesters, the police erected multiple barricades and placed cement blocks on the bridge over the Ghaggar river at Shambhu. Alternative traffic arrangements were also put in place for commuters travelling between Haryana and Punjab.
Farmer leaders meanwhile alleged that the BJP governments at the Centre and in Haryana were preventing them from holding a peaceful protest. They claimed that several union leaders and farmers had been detained at various locations across Haryana before the mahapanchayat. Farmers' unions in Haryana, particularly the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni), led by Gurnam Singh Charuni, have been opposing the proposed India-US trade deal (also referred to as an interim trade agreement/free trade agreement) that the two countries have been negotiating.
अब पंजाब के हजारों किसान दिल्ली आ रहे हैं। अमेरिका–भारत ट्रेड डील का विरोध कर रहे हैं। शंभू बॉर्डर को हरियाणा पुलिस ने बंद कर दिया है। मोटे–मोटे सीमेंटेड पत्थर वाले बेरिकेड लगाए हैं। JCB तैनात की गई हैं। किसानों को दिल्ली पहुंचने के लिए हरियाणा सरकार का यह बैरिकेड पार करना होगा। pic.twitter.com/6W0gQl6hkQ
— Sachin Gupta (@Sachingupta) July 21, 2026
What the India-US trade deal reads
India lowers or removes import duties on certain US goods like dried distillers' grains (DDGs, used in animal feed), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh/processed fruit, soybean oil, and wine/spirits. In exchange, the US will apply an 18% reciprocal tariff on key Indian exports like textiles, leather/footwear, plastics, rubber, organic chemicals, and home décor, down from a much higher rate.
The government insists that agricultural and dairy products India produces in sufficient quantity, including maize, wheat, rice, sugar, soybean and poultry, have been kept outside tariff concessions, and in return, Indian items like spices, tea, coffee, cashew nuts, avocado, banana, mango, kiwi and papaya will get zero-duty access in the US.
Why farmers are showing distrust in the deal signed by the government
Farmers argue the deal will expose Indian agriculture to unequal competition, since agriculture in the United States is carried out on a large commercial scale and receives substantial government support through subsidies, unlike India's mostly small and marginal cultivators. They fear the US will dump cheaper produce into the Indian market, leaving Indian farmers unable to compete and potentially forcing many out of farming altogether.
Unions claim the pact poses a serious threat to India's agriculture sector, rural economy, small businesses, employment, and the country's self-reliance. Demands include making the deal's terms public, holding discussions with farmer unions, and providing a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP), among other welfare measures.
#WATCH | Heavy Police deployment at Shambhu Border (Punjab-Haryana border), Police barricading in place ahead of farmers' one-day march to Delhi today to protest against India-US FTA. pic.twitter.com/ceBcavQ5QM
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2026
As per the protesting farmers, agriculture and dairy have been protected under the deal, but no formal text has been released, and it remains unclear how many products are actually covered under India's tariff commitments. Farmers point out that an average Indian farmer holds only around two to three acres of land, while American agriculture is highly mechanised and heavily subsidized by the US government, so even partial access for the US would let subsidized produce undercut Indian prices.
The US has separately pushed India to relax quantitative restrictions on protein-rich pulse imports, import licence requirements, and food safety rules, including a longstanding Indian rule that imported dairy must come from animals not fed internal organs or blood meal, a rule US officials say effectively blocks their access. Farmers worry this "sensitive sectors are safe" promise could quietly erode over future rounds.
Beyond farm goods, protesters say the pact also proposes to remove or reduce tariffs on e-commerce, digital trade, and intellectual property rights, which they see as favoring large corporations over small producers.
Why borders have been closed
Protests, effigy-burnings, and tractor marches have taken place across Haryana districts including Kurukshetra, Ambala, and Kaithal since earlier this year. Taking this into consideration, Haryana Police detained BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni amid the farmers' march to Delhi.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has repeatedly pushed back on the criticism, maintaining that the deal fully safeguards India's agricultural interests, particularly the farm and dairy sectors, and that farmers' interests were treated as non-negotiable in the negotiations. The situation appears to remain tense, with fresh detentions and protests reported as recently as yesterday.
Siddhi Somani
Siddhi Somani is known for her satirical and factual hand in Economic, Social and Political writing. Having completed her post graduation in Journalism, she is currently engaged in completing her Masters in Politics. The author meanwhile is also exploring her hand in analytics and statistics.