Piyush Goyal said that India’s trade talks are progressing with the US, the UK, the European Union, and several other nations globally.
US Tariffs: Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said that India “never negotiates with any country on gunpoint” but wait for “favourable time constraints” to start trade negotiations.
His comments came after US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariff imposition on countries including India.
While speaking on the sidelines of the Italy-India Business, Science and Technology Forum in the national capital, Goyal said, “We never negotiate on gunpoint. Favourable time constraints motivate us for quicker talks, but till the time we are not able to secure the interest of our country and our people, we do not hurry.”
#WATCH | Delhi: On China, Speaking at the Carnegie India Global Technology Summit, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal says, “India will protect its interests. For us, it is India first. Whatever is in our interest, we will recalibrate our policy accordingly. As… pic.twitter.com/dckJQaf9Ec
— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2025
The Union Minister further said that India’s trade talks are progressing with the US, the UK, the European Union, and several other nations globally. “All our trade talks are progressing well, in the spirit of India First, and to ensure our pathway to Viksit Bharat by 2047 in the Amrit Kaal,” he said without giving specifics of any deal.
The US has announced the suspension of reciprocal tariffs on India until July 9 this year, according to the White House executive orders. After Trump’s tariff announcement on April 2, India’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry had said discussions were ongoing between Indian and US trade teams for the expeditious conclusion of a mutually beneficial, multi-sectoral Bilateral Trade Agreement.
Further at another event, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke about India’s trade talks with several nations and blocs, including with the US.
While speaking at the Carnegie Global Technology Summit, Jaishankar said India is certainly prepared for a high degree of urgency in reaching a trade deal with regards to the United States. He added that Washington has “fundamentally changed its approach to engaging with the world and it has consequences across every domain.”
“This time around, we are certainly geared up for a very high degree of urgency. I mean, we see a window. We want to see stuff. So our trade deals are really challenging. And we are really, when I look at the trade deals, I mean it’s not my direct credit, but we have a lot to do with each other. I mean, these are people very much on top of their game, very ambitious about what they want to achieve,” he said.
