Indian unions and farmers stage a nationwide strike over interim trade deal with US

NEW DELHI (AP) — A coalition of major trade unions and farmers’ groups in India mounted a nationwide strike Thursday to protest an interim trade deal with the United States, saying the agreement undermines the interests of farmers, small businesses and workers.

In parliament, lawmakers from opposition political parties demanded that the government scrap the trade deal and criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the slogan “Narendra Modi, surrender Modi.”

The one-day strike partially disrupted public services and manufacturing activities, highlighting resistance to the reform agenda set by Modi, leader of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party, and underscoring the political risks of pushing market-oriented policies before key state elections later this year.

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

“The fight will go on till our demands are met," Mollah said "If not, the public will gather in large numbers and uproot the Modi government."

A union leader said that the trade deal with Washington opens the Indian market to subsidized 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,” said Amarjeet Kaur, general-secretary of All India Trade Union Congress, a prominent union that took part in the strike.

The government in New Delhi has defended the interim trade pact as a step toward expanding exports, attracting investments and strengthening strategic ties with the U.S. The interests of farmers in the agriculture and dairy sectors were protected, Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said recently.

India and the U.S. 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 reciprocal tariff on Indian goods decreasing from 25% to 18%, while an additional 25% penalty tariff for India's purchase of Russian oil will be dropped.

In return, India will stop buying Russian oil and purchase $500 billion worth of U.S. goods, including energy, while cutting taxes and non-tariff barriers.

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

Indian officials have argued that labor reforms were needed to boost efficiency and create jobs in the long run.

Members of trade unions hold banners during a nationwide strike to protest an interim trade deal with the United States, saying the agreement undermines the interests of farmers, small businesses and workers in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A boy holds a banner during trade unions nationwide strike to protest an interim trade deal with the United States, saying the agreement undermines the interests of farmers, small businesses and workers in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Members of trade unions shout slogans during a nationwide strike to protest an interim trade deal with the United States, saying the agreement undermines the interests of farmers, small businesses and workers in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Members of trade unions hold banners during a nationwide strike to protest an interim trade deal with the United States, saying the agreement undermines the interests of farmers, small businesses and workers in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Members of the opposition stage a protest against the India-US trade deal outside the Parliament in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo)

Senior Congress party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, center, hands crossed, joins other members of the opposition during a protest against the India-US trade deal outside the Parliament in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo)

MUMBAI, India (AP) — Italy earned a momentous maiden cricket win at the T20 World Cup when it stunned Nepal by 10 wickets on Thursday.

Brothers Anthony and Justin Mosca sealed the victory with an unbeaten stand for 124-0 after Nepal was bowled out for 123 at iconic Wankhede Stadium.

Italy’s first win in only its second match at a global cricket tournament was also only the eighth 10-wicket victory in men's T20 World Cup history.

Italy joined the Netherlands as the only two non-British European teams to win a game in the T20 World Cup.

Nepal, at its third T20 World Cup, was riding high after giving England a mighty scare at the same venue on Sunday.

But Sri Lanka-born wrist spinner Crishan Kalugamage picked 3-18, including captain Rohit Paudel, to help shoot out Nepal with three balls to spare.

The Sydney-raised Mosca brothers hit nine sixes and eight boundaries — Anthony was 62 not out off 32 balls and Justin 60 not out off 44 — to dismantle the Nepal attack in just 12.4 overs.

Earlier, captain Dasun Shanaka broke his own record for the fastest Twenty20 half-century for Sri Lanka as they crushed Oman by 105 runs in Pallekele.

Later, co-host and defending champion India took on Namibia in New Delhi.

Shanaka’s 19-ball 50 along with Kusal Mendis’ 61 and Pavan Rathnayake’s 60 against a weak bowling attack propelled Sri Lanka to a tournament-best 225-5.

Oman labored to 120-9 in reply, the wickets shared by five bowlers. Off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana led with 2-11 off four overs.

Sri Lanka has two wins from two games but was yet to meet Group B rivals Australia and Zimbabwe.

Oman’s 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem became the oldest man to score a half-century in the history of the T20 World Cup with an unbeaten 53 from 56 balls. Nadeem was one of the only two Oman batters to reach double figures with Wasim Ali scoring 27.

Sri Lanka lost Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishra inside the power play but Rathnayake and Mendis featured in a brisk 94-run third-wicket stand off 52 balls.

Shanaka smacked five sixes to surpass his previous Sri Lanka record of a 20-ball half-century against India in 2023 before he holed out at long-off of the very next ball.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Italy's Crishan Kalugamage celebrates the wicket of Nepal's Gulshan Jha during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Italy and Nepal in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Italy's Anthony Mosca, left, Justin Mosca, right, run between the wickets as they bat during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Italy and Nepal in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Sri Lanka's Dushmantha Chameera, right, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Oman's Captain Jatinder Singh, left, during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Oman and Sri Lanka in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Oman and Sri Lanka in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Pavan Rathnayake plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Oman and Sri Lanka in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Oman and Sri Lanka in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)