INDIA’S major trade unions and farmers’ groups mounted a nationwide strike today to protest against an interim trade deal with the United States.

The workers said the agreement undermines the interests of farmers, small businesses and workers.

Their one-day strike disrupted public services and manufacturing activities.

In New Delhi, a protesting farmer activist, Hannan Mollah, said India’s recent free trade agreements with New Zealand, Europe and now the US were poised to ruin India’s farm sector, as local markets would be inundated by cheaper products.

“The fight will go on until our demands are met,” Mr Mollah said.

“If not, the public will gather in large numbers and uproot the Modi government.”

Amarjeet Kaur, general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress, a prominent union that took part in the strike, said that the trade deal with Washington opens India’s markets to subsidised agricultural products, threatening the livelihoods of millions of small farmers.

“Cheap American farm produce will be dumped in India, making it difficult for our farmers and small businesses to compete,” she said

In parliament, opposition politicians demanded that the government scrap the trade deal and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the slogan “Narendra Modi, surrender Modi.”

The government has defended the interim trade pact as a step toward expanding exports, attracting investments and strengthening strategic ties with the US.

The interests of farmers in the agriculture and dairy sectors have been protected, Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said recently.

India and the US announced this month that they were moving closer to a formal trade pact, releasing an interim framework that would lower tariffs and deepen economic ties.

A fact sheet issued by the White House shows its tariff on Indian goods decreasing from 25 per cent to 18 per cent, while an additional 25 per cent penalty tariff for India’s purchase of Russian oil will be dropped.

In return, India will stop buying Russian oil and purchase $500 billion (£365bn) worth of US goods, including energy, while cutting taxes and non-tariff barriers.

The protesters in India also opposed Mr Modi’s efforts to privatise state-run companies and implement new labour codes, calling the sweeping changes “deceptive fraud” against workers.