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India will not be rushed into a trade agreement, nor will it negotiate under pressure, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said firmly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs imposed on India and other countries by Washington. The temporary relief has been widely seen as a narrow window for both nations to push forward their ongoing bilateral trade talks.
“We will always put India first and will ensure that a deal is finalized keeping that sentiment in mind,” said Goyal. Addressing concerns over any pressure to conclude a deal quickly, he clarified, “We never negotiate at gunpoint. Favourable time constraints motivate us for quicker talks, but till the time we are not able to secure the interest of our country and our people, we do not hurry (into any deal).”
India’s Trade Strategy: ‘India First’ Approach With Multiple Partners
Speaking at the Italy-India Business, Science, and Technology Forum, the Commerce Minister provided a broad overview of India’s global trade negotiations — not just with the U.S., but also with the United Kingdom, the European Union, and other countries.
“All our trade talks are progressing well, in the spirit of India First, and to ensure our pathway to Viksit Bharat by 2047 in the Amrit Kaal,” Mr. Goyal said, while choosing not to disclose details about any specific deal.
He noted that progress in trade discussions relies on mutual understanding: “Trade talks proceed when both sides are sensitive to each other’s concerns and requirements.”
Jaishankar: U.S. Trade Talks Are ‘Challenging But Urgent’
At a separate event, the Carnegie Global Technology Summit, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar echoed the urgency but also complexity of the ongoing trade discussions with the United States.
“This time around, we are certainly geared up for a very high degree of urgency. I mean, we see a window. We want to see stuff. So, our trade deals are really challenging,” Dr. Jaishankar said, referring to the global shift triggered by Mr. Trump’s tariff measures.
He acknowledged the evolving geopolitical backdrop, noting, “The U.S. has been very ambitious. The global landscape is very different now from what it was a year ago.”
Referring to India’s experience in negotiating with the U.S., he said, “When I look at the trade deals, I mean it’s not my direct credit, but we have a lot to do with each other. I mean, these are people very much on top of their game, very ambitious about what they want to achieve.”
‘They Didn’t Get That’: India’s Changed View of the U.S.
Reflecting on past negotiations during Trump’s earlier presidency, Dr. Jaishankar said, “We talked for four years during the first Trump administration. They have their view of us, and frankly, we have our view of them. The bottom line is that they didn’t get that.”
This signals a more assertive Indian stance in the current round of negotiations, backed by its growing influence in global trade and diplomacy.
When asked about progress with the European Union, Dr. Jaishankar clarified a common misconception about the length of the negotiations.
“If you look at the EU, often people say we’ve been negotiating for 30 years, which is not entirely true because we had big blocks of time and nobody was even talking to each other. But they have tended to be very protracted processes.”
China’s Moves Equally Critical in Global Trade
Dr. Jaishankar concluded with a broader perspective on global trade, stating that China’s role is equally influential. “China’s decisions are just as consequential as those of the U.S. when it comes to the global marketplace,” he said, underlining how trade and technology are central to the evolving U.S.-China dynamic.
