Mumbai, January 31 (IANS). Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said India is hopeful that a strong trade deal with the US can be concluded ‘very soon’. These negotiations are running parallel to the recent agreement with the European Union.
In an interview to NDTV Profit, Piyush Goyal said that India is in constant touch with US officials and is confident that an agreement will be reached between the two countries. He denied that the free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU would delay talks with the US.
Piyush Goyal said, “We are having very good talks with America.” He further said, “I think we will soon reach an equally strong and equally good agreement with America.”
According to the report, the minister said that India never negotiates to meet any deadline. Every agreement moves forward at its own time. The agreement with the European Union was also completed only when both parties were ready for it.
Piyush Goyal further said, “You must have heard me in many interviews and public statements. We never talk with deadlines.” He said that the agreement with the European Union was not reached due to last-minute pressure, but after long negotiations.
Goyal said that talks are going on with America at different levels and the remaining issues are being worked on. Trade talks with the US resumed last year, having previously stalled over tariff disputes.
According to Western media reports, the tariffs imposed under US President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ trade policy played an important role in accelerating the recent historic free trade agreement between India and the European Union.
Reports say that India started looking at other options after the US imposed tariffs of 25 to 50 percent on steel, aluminum and other Indian products and the breakdown of India-US trade talks last year.
Meanwhile, tension was also seen in the relations between European countries and America. According to the report, Trump had even threatened that if Europe refused to sell Greenland, he could impose tariffs on it too.
In this way, regarding the India-US trade agreement, the government is confident that a strong deal can be made between the two countries in the future.
–IANS
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