Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a sharp attack on the central government over the interim trade agreement between India and the United States, calling it nothing short of a betrayal of Indian farmers. Raising serious concerns about the future of the agriculture sector, Gandhi questioned whether the deal would slowly hand over control of India’s food system to foreign interests. He warned that decisions being taken today could permanently weaken farmers’ livelihoods and make the country dependent on imported agricultural products.

Focusing on the proposed import of Dried Distillers’ Grains (DDG), Gandhi asked if Indian cattle would soon be fed grain made from genetically modified American corn, and whether this would push India’s dairy industry into indirect dependence on US agriculture. He further flagged the possible entry of GM soy oil into the Indian market, cautioning that farmers in major soy-producing states could face devastating price shocks. According to him, repeated exposure to cheaper foreign products would steadily erode the profitability of Indian farming and make survival increasingly difficult for rural communities.

Gandhi also questioned vague terms in the agreement such as “additional products” and “removal of non-trade barriers,” warning that these could later be used to open Indian markets to pulses and other critical crops while weakening protections like MSP, procurement systems, and restrictions on GM crops. Directly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he argued that once the door is opened, foreign pressure will only grow stronger every year. His core warning was blunt: if the government doesn’t draw firm lines now, India risks losing long-term control over its agriculture industry — and farmers will pay the price.