India: Truckers’ nationwide strike ends July 27 /update 1

Event

Truckers in India ended an eight-day strike on Friday, July 27, after the government agreed to form a committee to consider most of the truckers' demands, including cutting diesel fuel prices, lowering third-party insurance premiums for heavy vehicles, and removing highway toll fares for truck drivers. The regularly scheduled transport of goods is therefore expected to resume in India following the agreement between the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), the group which had organized the strike, and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. However, continuing shortages of goods are to be expected in the coming days in some areas due to the lingering effects of the now-ended strike.

Context

The strike, which was launched on July 20, notably impacted the business operations of e-commerce companies and the production and sales of vehicles and sugar and forced the closure of several edible oil refineries in India. Striking truckers also reportedly blocked highways linking Maharastra and Karnataka states and staged related sit-in demonstrations in Maharashtra state.

Advice

Individuals in India are advised to monitor developments to the situation and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.