India-EU FTA is a blueprint for economic colonisation, say farmers’ outfits

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers' organizations, announced campaigns against the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) due to concerns about its impact on Indian agriculture and industry. The SKM argues that the agreement will lead to corporate dominance in the Indian market, decimate domestic production, and harm employment opportunities. They criticize the government for maintaining high EU sanitary and phytosanitary barriers while using the FTA to dilute India's own standards, ultimately exposing farmers to unfair competition. The SKM also expresses concerns about the FTA's intellectual property protection provisions and plans to intensify its campaign against the agreement, including a planned general strike on February 12th.