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Guest Column| PM Modi’s farmers first stand transcends politics
The solidarity between the govt and farmer unions will prove to be politically decisive. It reaffirms Modi’s resolve to support the farmer not just with words but also through action, ensuring India’s agricultural sector remains protected and empowered amid global challenges.
When global powers turn up the heat, few leaders have the courage to stand up to it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown unflinching resolve by refusing to yield to pressure from the Donald Trump administration over trade and tariff demands. The message is clear: Indian farmers’ interests are non-negotiable.
The recent US decision to impose steep 50% tariffs on Indian exports, citing India’s continued oil trade with Russia, has put stress on the US-India trade relationship. Despite diplomatic pressure, Modi declared he would not compromise on agricultural policies that protect Indian farmers. Speaking at the MS Swaminathan Centenary Conference on August 7, he said: “The welfare of farmers, livestock rearers and fisher folk is our priority. I’m prepared to pay a personal and political price to safeguard their interests.” These words weren’t just for show. They came with action and conviction. In refusing to open up India’s dairy, grain, and other sensitive agricultural sectors to American demands, Modi sent a strong message: The Indian farmer’s livelihood comes before any foreign pressure or political calculation.
This isn’t the first time Modi has stood by India’s farmers. Since coming to power in 2014, his government has launched a series of transformational schemes aimed at strengthening the rural economy and ensuring dignity for the annadata (food provider).
Systemic reforms
Over the past decade, the Modi government has rolled out several farmer-centric initiatives. One of the flagship schemes, PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi), offers ₹6,000 a year to small and marginal farmers. In the 2024-25 financial year, over 9.59 crore farmers were registered as eligible with 9.46 crore actually receiving the transfers.
The soil health card scheme, launched in 2015, aimed to issue cards to 14 crore farmers, helping them optimise fertiliser use and enhance yield.
Agriculture is all about managing risk, and the revamped Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana provides affordable crop insurance against natural calamities. Since its inception in 2016, 78.407 crore farmer applications have been insured under it. Of them, 22.667 crore farmers received claims totalling ₹1.83 lakh crore.
The e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) connects mandis through a digital platform, ensuring fair price discovery. 1,400 mandis have been integrated with the e-NAM platform, enabling farmers to access real-time information on crop prices and enhance market linkages.
For energy-savvy irrigation, PM-KUSUM promotes solar-powered pumps, letting farmers save on electricity while embracing clean energy.
Through Har Khet Ko Pani and Per Drop More Crop, the government is expanding irrigation and promoting micro-irrigation to boost water efficiency.
These schemes reflect a harmonised strategy: PM-KISAN delivers the financial lifeline at scale, soil health cards empower smarter farming, and the rest modernise infrastructure and climate resilience. These initiatives represent a shift from past governments that often made promises but failed to deliver. Modi’s focus has been on systemic reforms, technology-driven solutions, and direct benefit transfers, minimising middlemen and leakages.
Rallying behind PM
The response from India’s rural heartland has been overwhelmingly supportive of PM Modi’s firm stance against US tariffs.
Across states, farmer organisations, unions, and agrarian groups have rallied behind the government, recognising Modi’s refusal to compromise on agricultural policies as a strong defence of their livelihoods.
One of the most vocal supporters has been the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the coalition of farmer unions that led the prolonged protests against the earlier farm laws. The SKM has characterised the US tariff imposition as an economic embargo, emphasising the unfairness of penalising Indian farmers for geopolitical decisions beyond their control. They have publicly applauded Modi’s resolve to shield farmers from foreign pressure, viewing it as a rare moment when the government placed farmers; interests above international diplomatic expediency.
The All India Kisan Sabha and Bharatiya Kisan Union have also voiced support.
The unity among these diverse farmer groups signals a growing trust in the Modi government’s commitment post the repeal of the farm laws, reassuring rural voters that their concerns are being addressed. The backing sends a clear message that Modi’s stand transcends mere political posturing — it is a principled defence of India’s agrarian backbone.
The solidarity between the government and farm groups will prove politically decisive in the future. More importantly, it reaffirms the Modi government’s resolve to support the farmer not just with words but also through action, ensuring that India’s agricultural sector remains protected and empowered amid global challenges.
In global diplomacy, standing up to a superpower comes with risks. But leadership is about making tough choices and protecting the vulnerable. Modi’s refusal to compromise India’s agricultural interests under pressure shows not only courage but also clarity of purpose. satnam.sandhu@sansad.nic.in
The writer is a Rajya Sabha member and chancellor of Chandigarh University. Views expressed are personal.
