Photo Source: Rakesh Tikait's X account
India–US Trade Agreement: Rakesh Tikait says deal will hurt rural India, demands immediate rollback
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, February 3, 2026 — Against the backdrop of the proposed India–US trade agreement, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson and farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has issued a strong warning, calling the deal a serious blow to India’s agrarian economy and rural population.
Reacting to reports suggesting greater market access for American agricultural products under the India–US understanding, Tikait said the agreement would adversely impact nearly 70 per cent of India’s population, which depends directly or indirectly on agriculture. He warned that the rural sector is already grappling with market volatility and rising debt, and further liberalisation would worsen the crisis.
“The rural population is already burdened with unstable markets and loans. If this agreement is implemented, it will completely destroy the farming community,” Tikait said in a statement. He alleged that the deal would pave the way for increased corporate control over India’s agricultural markets, undermining small and marginal farmers.
Referring to India’s historic identity as the “golden bird”, Tikait claimed that such agreements would transfer control of the country’s resources into corporate hands, leaving farmers and rural workers vulnerable. He urged the Union government to immediately withdraw from the agreement and protect domestic agriculture from adverse global competition.