India’s Modi vows to repeal farm laws after prolonged protests

Members of the Communist Party of India during a protest against farm laws in Mumbai in September (Rafiq Maqbool/AP)

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said his government will withdraw the controversial agriculture laws that prompted year-long protests from tens of thousands of farmers and posed a significant political challenge to his administration.

Mr Modi made the surprise announcement during a televised speech that was broadcast live.