Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Sunday questioned the contours of the proposed India–US trade agreement, warning that certain provisions under discussion could adversely affect India’s farmers and weaken the country’s agricultural self-reliance. In a message shared on social media platform X, he alleged that the deal, if not handled carefully, might work against the interests of the farming community.

Gandhi sought direct clarification from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on whether agricultural imports from the United States would include products derived from genetically modified crops. He specifically raised concerns about the potential import of Distillers Dried Grains (DDG), asking if such feed—often produced from genetically modified maize—would be introduced into India’s dairy supply chain. According to him, this could create indirect dependence of the domestic dairy sector on American agricultural output.

He further cautioned that allowing imports of genetically modified soybean oil could put pressure on farmers in key soybean-growing states such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Gandhi argued that cheaper overseas shipments might depress local market prices, resulting in financial strain for cultivators who are already facing volatility.

The Congress leader also asked what was meant by references to “additional products” in ongoing trade discussions, expressing apprehension that staples like pulses could eventually be opened up to large-scale imports. He voiced concern that removing so-called “non-trade barriers” might translate into policy changes affecting procurement systems, Minimum Support Price mechanisms, or India’s regulatory stance on genetically modified crops.

Stressing the long-term implications, Gandhi said farmers deserve full transparency before any agreement is finalized.