India, Jan. 13 -- As India enters 2026, agriculture stands at a defining crossroads. It is no longer merely an economic sector to be measured in output and growth rates; it remains a living expression of India's civilisational ethos. Agriculture sustains nearly half of the country's population, anchors rural livelihoods, and fuels multiple downstream industries. As India advances toward its vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the welfare, resilience, and empowerment of farmers must remain central to the nation's development model.

Yet this moment is also marked by urgency. Climate volatility, market fragmentation, rising input costs, and income uncertainty have intensified pressures on Indian farmers. Agriculture today sits at the intersect...