Bharat Bandh on February 12: Farmers’ body, 10 trade unions call for strike over US trade pact

India-US Trade Deal: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and a joint platform of 10 central trade unions have called for a nationwide Bharat Bandh on February 12 to protest against the India–US interim trade agreement.

The farmers’ body has warned that the deal could have far-reaching consequences for Indian farmers. The trade unions said the bandh is part of their “resistance to anti-worker, anti-farmer and pro-corporate policies of the central government.”

The farmers’ collective said the shutdown would mark the culmination of its outreach campaign, during which SKM leaders will engage with farmers across the country from February 4 to February 11 to explain their opposition to the agreement.

Add Zee Business as a Preferred Source

‘Government has surrendered’: SKM

Speaking to ANI, SKM Convenor Hannan Mollah accused the BJP-led Centre of compromising farmers’ interests in negotiations with the US. "Agreement will be a betrayal against farmers...We are surrendering before the shrewdness of US. The Govt has surrendered. Piyush Goyal should resign. He betrayed Indian farmers. On this basis, we have started a campaign, from 4th February to 11th February SKM will go to farmers. On 12th, Bharat Bandh has been called over this."

Mollah said Indian agricultural produce would struggle to compete if cheaper US imports enter domestic markets in large volumes, potentially pushing farmers out of business.

"SKM studied the Government's Agreements with the US, EU and New Zealand. SKM has been against this since the beginning. Agreement is not beneficial for a weaker country. They will send their goods for free to our country and they will flood our markets with cheaper goods. Our country will not be able to compete with them and our farmers will be finished."

Also Read: India–US trade pact likely to lift farm incomes, expand access to $46 billion US market

Bharat Bandh: Here's how centre reacted:

In response to the upcoming agitation by the trade and farmers body, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, citing Labour Codes, clarified that the right to strike remains fully protected, with a 14-day notice period to prevent sudden disruptions.

"The right to strike remains fully protected under the Labour Codes, with a 14-day notice period to prevent sudden disruptions. This framework supports conciliation, reduces loss of man-days, and strengthens a harmonious relationship between workers and management," the ministry said in its post on X.

Government defends deal, says farmers protected

Earlier on Saturday, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal defended the interim agreement, describing it as a milestone for India’s economy and asserting that farmers’ interests had been fully safeguarded. Addressing a press conference, Goyal said sensitive agricultural sectors had been deliberately excluded from the pact.

“We have not included any item where any Indian farmer will be hurt. All sensitive items have been kept out of the deal,” he said. He further clarified that India had not offered tariff concessions on key farm and dairy products. “No genetically modified items will enter India, and no tariff relief has been given on meat, poultry, dairy, soybean, maize, rice, wheat, sugar, millets, fruits such as bananas, strawberries, cherries, citrus fruits, green pea, kabuli chana, moong, oilseeds, ethanol and tobacco,” Goyal had explained.

Also Read: 'Historic India-US trade deal' will open Indian markets to American products: White House

Zero-duty access for Indian exports

Goyal said several Indian agricultural products would receive zero-duty access in the US market, arguing that the agreement would benefit Indian farmers through improved export opportunities. “Several agricultural exports will see zero duty from 50 per cent, such as spices, tea, coffee, copra, coconuts and coconut oil, vegetable wax, areca nut, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, chestnuts, and several fruits and vegetables,” he said.

These include avocados, bananas, guavas, mangoes, kiwis, papaya, mushrooms, vegetable sap, vegetable roots, barley, and certain processed food items.

Reiterating the government’s position, the minister said farm and dairy sectors had been ring-fenced. "I can say categorically that the interests of farmers and the dairy sector have been protected," he said. In a post on X, Goyal said the deal would “safeguard the interests of domestic farmers, strengthen local agriculture through preferential access to such a large market, and mark another powerful step forward in the direction of a self-reliant India.”

Products shielded from US imports

According to the government, the agreement excludes a wide range of agricultural imports from the US, including milk, cheese, butter, ghee, yoghurt and whey products, along with staples such as wheat, rice, maize, millets, barley, oats and sorghum. Several vegetables, frozen and preserved foods, and spices such as pepper, cumin, turmeric, ginger, coriander and mustard have also been kept out. The minister underlined that genetically modified food would not be allowed into India.

At the same time, Indian farm exports will enjoy tariff-free access in the US. "Agricultural products from Indian farmers will be exported to the United States at zero duty. At the same time, no tariff concessions have been granted for agricultural products from US farmers entering the Indian market," he said, adding that the imbalance would work in India’s favour.

What White House's fact sheet says:

In a fact sheet released on February 9, the White House said the India-US trade deal announcement followed a call between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which both leaders agreed on a framework for an interim reciprocal trade agreement and reaffirmed their commitment to negotiations on a broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). The White House said Trump had agreed to remove an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports, citing India’s decision to stop purchasing oil from the Russian Federation. The US also announced a reduction in reciprocal tariffs on India from 25 per cent to 18 per cent.

According to the fact sheet, India will reduce or eliminate tariffs on US industrial goods and a range of agricultural products, commit to purchasing over $500 billion worth of American goods, address non-tariff barriers, remove digital services taxes, and expand cooperation in technology, energy and supply chain resilience.