‘No Deal With Gun To Our Head’: Piyush Goyal’s Firm Message To US On Trade Pact
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has sent a clear message to the United States, declaring that India will not be pressured into signing a bilateral trade agreement under duress or within an artificial timeframe. Speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue on Friday, Goyal asserted that while negotiations are active, India’s national interest will be the sole guiding factor in concluding any trade pact.”We are in active dialogue with the US, but we do not do deals in a hurry and we do not do deals with deadlines or with a gun to our head,” the minister stated emphatically.
He stressed that any potential agreement must rigorously protect the interests of India’s farmers, fishermen, and the crucial Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. Goyal framed trade deals as long-term instruments built on trust, extending far beyond immediate concerns like tariffs or market access.His comments come against a backdrop of ongoing trade friction, including a cumulative 50 per cent tariff imposed by the US on certain Indian exports, which India has described as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.” Despite these challenges, Goyal confirmed that the talks are “progressing in a very cordial atmosphere.”
A high-level Indian delegation recently concluded the fifth round of negotiations in Washington.Both nations had previously aimed to finalize the first phase of the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the fall of 2025. The ambitious pact seeks to elevate the bilateral trade volume from its current level of approximately $131.84 billion to $500 billion by 2030. While an official close to the talks suggested a deal is “very near,” Goyal’s firm stance underscores that India will prioritize its long-term sovereign and economic concerns over any external pressure.
