Cotton that has been genetically modified to resist bollworms, a devastating cotton pest, continues to stir passions in the Indian subcontinent, with conflicting claims regarding its degree of success. Private firms involved in marketing GM cotton say farmers have reaped substantial profits from the crop. In contrast, several nongovernmental organisations and farmers’ groups continue to denounce GM technology as an overhyped and unsuitable practice that is ruthlessly promoted by multinational firms. Caught between these two viewpoints are those who do not contest the reports of financial profit, but caution against the hidden fallout of this technology, such as the loss of local cotton diversity and farming skills in growing traditional cotton varieties, as well the technology’s limitations in rain-fed areas with few fertiliser inputs.