Hundreds Stopped at Shambhu Border Ahead of Farmers' March to Delhi Against the India–US Trade Deal

JUST A DAY after the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) march from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to Parliament, a new wave of protests began on July 21, 2026. Hundreds of farmers reportedly began marching towards Delhi on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to participate in the Kisan Mahapanchayat and express their opposition to the India-US trade deal. According to various media reports, the protesters were allegedly stopped by the Haryana Police at the Shambhu border.

The gathering is scheduled to take place at Kisan Ghat in Delhi and is being organised under the banner of the ‘Desh Bachao Morcha’. According to reports, participants from various parts of Haryana and Punjab are expected to reach Kisan Ghat to protest against the India–US bilateral trade agreement. Visuals from the Shambhu border, which separates Haryana and Punjab, have been circulating online, showing heightened security and police barricades at the site. The videos also show hundreds of people carrying flags and marching towards the Mahapanchayat in Delhi.

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Heavy security has been deployed at the border, and according to reports, the Shambhu border has been sealed off. Earlier, farmers had staged a year-long protest that began in 2024, demanding a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops, among other demands. The protesters carried out a continuous demonstration for nearly a year, blocking roads and camping at Punjab’s Shambhu border.

Cut to the present, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued a travel advisory to manage traffic, stating that several national highways leading to Delhi have been affected due to the farmers' march. According to News18, traffic movement has been suspended since early Tuesday morning at the Ghaggar Toll Plaza near the border on July 21, 2026. 

Why Are Farmers Protesting the India–US Trade Deal?

According to reports, farmers fear that the India–US trade deal could have a negative impact on the domestic market, as cheap American products may enter India. Another concern is that the Indian government might not be able to levy import tariffs to protect Indian farmers from these imports.

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Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher reportedly told news agency UNI, “This is not just about one state or one crop. This fight is for every farmer, every agricultural labourer, and every small trader in this country.” Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni stated that the trade deal involves not only agriculture but also the dairy industry, e-commerce, intellectual property rights, and other sectors. They claimed that they are protesting against the trade deal to protect the rights of farmers and other livestock rearers. As per latest reports, BKU chief Charuni has been detained by the police when he was heading towards Delhi. 

As cited by NDTV, farmer leaders have stated that the proposed US trade deal would allow US imports to gain deeper access to the Indian agriculture and dairy markets with lower tariffs and fewer restrictions on products such as ethanol, apples, and soybeans.

The farmers have also raised concerns over the lack of transparency surrounding the latest India–US bilateral trade deal, alleging that its details have not yet been made public. Taking cognisance of the matter, the farmers have highlighted the potential aftereffects of the deal, which they believe could have significant consequences for rural livelihoods. During the Desh Bachao Morcha, demands were raised urging the central government to make the details of the India–US trade deal more transparent. 

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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