NEW DELHI, October 21 (Aalimi Nation) – The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Wednesday warned of strong farmer resistance if the Union government agrees to American demands for access to India's dairy market as part of a proposed bilateral trade deal with the United States, and called for the agreement to be rejected.
In a statement, the farmers' organisation described the proposed arrangement as an "imperial trade deal". It argued that heavily subsidised American dairy products could undercut domestic milk procurement prices and squeeze rural household incomes. The AIKS also alleged that the government had kept Parliament in the dark about the details of the deal and was prepared to compromise farmers' interests in order to reach an agreement with Washington. The government's response to these claims was not available at the time of writing, and the final terms of the deal have not been made public.
What triggered the AIKS warning on the India-US trade deal
The statement came as officials on both sides have spoken about progress in the talks. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the two countries were "very, very close" to a deal. The AIKS statement cited reports that access for American milk products remained the last major hurdle, and said Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had indicated that the agreement was in the final stage of legal drafting.
Crops and states the AIKS says are at risk
The AIKS said concessions on farm products could expose soybean growers to competition from heavily subsidised American producers, and it named Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka as the states most at risk. It pointed to the government's September decision to reduce the basic customs duty on crude soybean and palm oils from 10 per cent to 5 per cent, along with lower duties on refined oils, saying the move came just as the kharif soybean harvest was beginning.
It said maize, jowar, cotton, almonds, walnuts and apples could also be affected.
AIKS general secretary Vijoo Krishnan said: "Greater access for US agricultural products could also accelerate corporate consolidation and undermine domestic producers." He argued that dependence on concessions to foreign powers would deepen rural distress and called for a fundamental reorganisation of Indian agriculture.
Farmers' mobilisation
The AIKS said the government would face "militant resistance from the peasantry" if it goes ahead and told its units to prepare for a prolonged struggle. It also urged farmers to join the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's march in Delhi on October 23, which is directed against alleged manipulation of elections.
Background to the dairy dispute
The AIKS and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha have opposed a trade agreement with the United States since earlier phases of the talks, warning that cheaper imports of cotton, soybean, maize, apples and dairy could depress farm-gate prices. Earlier in 2026, farmer groups called protests against the proposed deal, and the AIKS and the Morcha demanded that Mr Goyal resign. The commerce minister rejected reports that India was delaying negotiations.
