Mumbai: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said India is optimistic about concluding a strong trade agreement with the United States “quite soon,” even as negotiations continue alongside India’s recently finalised pact with the European Union.
In an interview with NDTV Profit, Goyal said India remains in regular contact with US counterparts and expressed confidence about reaching a mutually beneficial agreement. He dismissed suggestions that the free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union could slow down talks with Washington.
“We are having very good discussions with the United States of America,” Goyal said, adding, “I think we’ll have an equally robust, equally good deal with the US quite soon.”
The minister stressed that India does not negotiate trade agreements based on artificial timelines, noting that each deal follows its own pace. He explained that the agreement with the European Union was concluded only when both sides were fully prepared, rather than to meet any preset deadline.
“You must have heard me say this in many interviews and public comments. We never negotiate with a deadline,” Goyal said, adding that the EU deal was the result of sustained engagement rather than last-minute pressure.
Goyal further said that discussions with the US are progressing at multiple levels and that outstanding issues are being addressed. Trade negotiations with Washington resumed last year after being stalled due to tariff-related disputes.
According to recent Western media reports, the tariff measures imposed by US President Donald Trump under his “America First” trade policy played a role in accelerating the historic free trade agreement between India and the European Union. These included tariffs ranging from 25 to 50 per cent on steel, aluminium, and other Indian exports, as well as the earlier breakdown of India-US trade talks.
The reports also noted that European allies faced growing strain in transatlantic relations, with Trump at one point even threatening tariffs over Europe’s refusal to sell Greenland.
With inputs from IANS