Montek Ahluwalia Flags Risks Of Linking Farm Reforms To Trade, Says Reforms Need Internal Consensus

At the BT India@100 Summit, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Former Dy Chairman of the Planning Commission emphasizes that agricultural reforms should not be driven by international trade negotiations. He insists that changes in this politically sensitive sector must emerge through internal consensus rather than external pressure. Highlighting the unique position of farmers in every country, he argues that reforms should not appear to be influenced by foreign interests. On the topic of genetically modified (GM) foods, Ahluwalia questions how India can justify importing GM products while still denying Indian farmers access to the same technologies. He concludes that while there are other areas where trade negotiations can move forward, critical agricultural issues require thoughtful domestic dialogue and political agreement.