Subsidies are essential to protect India's 120 million farmers from exploitation and ensure food security. When we remove price controls, middlemen and large corporations dominate the supply chain, leaving small farmers with almost nothing. We've seen the backlash already—removing the agricultural laws took a massive movement. Subsidies keep rural India afloat and prevent mass migration to overcrowded cities.
Subsidies trap farmers in low-productivity cycles and drain India's budget year after year—we spend over 2 trillion rupees annually while yields stagnate. We should help farmers shift to high-value crops, dairy, and agritech instead of bankrolling inefficiency. Countries like Vietnam and Thailand liberalized agriculture and now export premium produce while their farmers earn more. India's farmers deserve market opportunities, not handouts that keep them dependent.