Piyush Goyal said India–US trade negotiations are moving steadily, with multiple rounds completed. He stressed that any deal must benefit both sides and cannot be rushed with deadlines.
Budget 2026 gives 'new wings' to achieve Viksit Bharat by 2047: Piyush Goyal underscores its three pillars. (File Photo: IANS)
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that trade negotiations between India and the United States are moving in a positive direction, with both sides holding several rounds of substantive discussions. His remarks came amid the visit of a new deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR) to India.
Interacting with reporters in Mumbai, Goyal underlined that any agreement must serve the interests of both countries and cautioned against setting artificial deadlines. “Negotiations are progressing well. We’ve had substantive discussions over several rounds of negotiations. In the past, I think five rounds have happened,” he said, speaking to ANI.
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“The current visit is a new deputy USTR who has joined about three months ago. It’s his first visit to India. We’re getting to know each other… We had very good substantive discussions,” Goyal added.
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Reiterating that trade agreements require careful deliberation, he said, “A deal is only done when both sides stand to benefit. We should never negotiate with deadlines because you tend to make mistakes then.”
Asked about reported comments by United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington DC suggesting that the US had received its “best ever” trade deal from India, Goyal welcomed the sentiment but urged a concrete step forward. “The happiness of the United States Trade Representative is very much welcome. I do believe that if they are very happy, they should be signing on the dotted line,” he said.
Goyal had earlier on Wednesday expressed confidence in the direction of discussions, saying the talks were “progressing well” towards a bilateral agreement. Speaking on the sidelines of the Rajasthani Pravasi Divas, he noted that a US delegation has been in India since Tuesday and that “many dots have been connected” through focused exchanges.
He said the ongoing conversations have enabled both sides to better understand each other’s concerns and areas of convergence. While he did not offer a timeline, Goyal emphasised that progress hinges on mutual benefit and a steady, constructive approach.
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