Piyush Goyal Says India-US Trade Negotiations Can't Be Done At Gun Point...

Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal recently reacted to heavy tariffs imposed by the United States, leading to a global economic crisis. A day after the White House announced to halt trade tariffs for a period of 90 days, Piyush Goyal told media that the India-US trade agreement is under discussion with Trump officials. He made it clear that there's no point of rushing into decisions and no negotiations can be done under pressure.

"Like several times before I have said, we do not negotiate at gunpoint. While time constraints can help drive timely discussions, it's never wise to rush into decisions that could compromise national and public interests," the Minister said.

Indian share market and international trade, which was expected to see an immediate hit, has got a 90-day reprieve now.

Reiterating the Modi government's "India First" motto, Piyush Goyal said India-US trade discussions are moving forward, aiming Viksit Bharat 2047. He added that first phase of India-US trade agreement would be completed by September-October 2025. It is expected that both countries would sign long-term deals, doubling bilateral trade worth USD 500 billion by 2030.

"We are talking about all concrete steps required to accelerate the free trade agreement between India and the US," Goyal said.

Similar views were kept by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
MEA Jaishankar said the United States responded swiftly to India's proposals and we're seeking a practical solution that respects both sides' concerns for a better trade.