India Won’t Sign Trade Pact Under Duress, Says Piyush Goyal in Strong Message to US

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has made it clear that India will not enter into a trade pact with the United States under pressure or within any externally imposed deadline.

Speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue in Germany, Goyal said New Delhi would only move forward when the agreement fully serves India’s national and economic interests. “We are in active dialogue with the US, but we don’t do deals in a hurry, nor do we do deals with deadlines or with a gun to our head,” Goyal asserted, signalling India’s firm stance amid ongoing negotiations.

The minister underscored that any trade deal must protect key domestic sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and MSMEs, describing them as the “backbone” of India’s economy. He added that trade agreements should be long-term partnerships built on trust, not reactive responses to tariff disputes or geopolitical pressures.

Goyal’s remarks come as the US maintains high tariffs on certain Indian exports — some of which, American officials claim, are linked to India’s continued imports of Russian oil. India has dismissed these duties as “unfair and unjustified,” insisting that its energy and trade policies are driven by sovereign priorities.

Despite the friction, Goyal said discussions with Washington remain constructive. A high-level Indian delegation recently completed a fifth round of talks in the US, with both sides exploring ways to enhance cooperation and expand bilateral trade — currently valued at $131.84 billion — to an ambitious target of $500 billion by 2030.

While reports suggest that the two countries are close to finalising the first phase of the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), Goyal’s statements underline that India will not compromise on its principles or rush into a deal simply to meet external expectations.