Chandigarh, February 2
Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Punjab, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Monday expressed serious concern over the Union Government’s claims of export-led growth for Punjab following the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), stating that rhetoric without infrastructure and policy support would leave Punjab excluded from its benefits.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to Punjabis in Jalandhar on Sunday, Bajwa said that while the Prime Minister spoke of sending goods to Europe under the India–EU FTA, the ground reality in Punjab made such assurances deeply questionable.
“The Prime Minister spoke about new export opportunities to Europe. The question Punjab asks is simple—how can our goods be sent competitively when the state itself is commercially chained?” Bajwa said. He pointed out that Punjab’s natural advantage as a land-linked border state had been rendered meaningless. “The land border remains closed. Overland trade routes to Eurasia and onward to Europe—which are the most cost-effective and efficient for Punjab—are unavailable. Exporters are forced onto long and expensive sea routes, eroding competitiveness even before products reach European markets,” he said.
Bajwa also flagged the inadequate state of air cargo infrastructure in Punjab. “Airports at Halwara, Adampur and Bathinda exist largely as token facilities, with no meaningful cargo movement. Even Chandigarh and Amritsar face limited flights and weak cargo operations. Without reliable logistics, exporters cannot meet European timelines or cost benchmarks,” he observed.
Commenting on the Union Budget, Bajwa said Punjab had been completely ignored. “Punjab does not figure anywhere in budget. There is no economic revival roadmap, no industrial push, no employment package for unemployed youth, and no serious strategy for linking agriculture with processing and exports,” he said.
Bajwa added that farmers had once again been disappointed, with the Budget remaining silent on a legal guarantee for MSP despite rising input costs, debt and climate stress. “Agriculture continues to be treated as charity, not as a growth engine,” Bajwa remarked.
Bajwa also highlighted that Punjab’s fiscal stress and the challenges of being a sensitive border state had been overlooked. “Cooperative federalism is spoken of, but it is missing in action when it comes to allocations and policy support,” he said.
Concluding, Bajwa stated, “Punjab is not asking for favours. It is asking for a fair partnership in national growth. If the Centre genuinely wants Punjab to benefit from the India–EU FTA, it must unlock borders, strengthen logistics, and integrate Punjab into India’s export strategy. Opportunity without access is not empowerment—it is an illusion.”
