Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal made it clear that India will not sign any trade deal with the United States under pressure. Speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue on Friday, he said that India prefers long-term thinking over short-term deadlines.
India Open to Talks, Not to Deadlines
Goyal said that New Delhi is open to discussions but will not rush into agreements.
“We are talking to the United States, of course. But we don’t do deals in a hurry, and we don’t do deals with deadlines or with a gun on our head,” he stated.
When asked about growing tariff tensions, Goyal stressed that India’s economic strategy focuses on resilience and self-reliance, not external pressure.
“India looks long term. We never take decisions in a rush or under pressure. If there’s a tariff, there’s a tariff — we’ll find ways to overcome it,” he said.
The minister added that India is exploring new export markets and boosting domestic demand to counter the impact of tariffs.
Tariff Dispute with the United States
The remarks come at a time when India and the US are holding talks to revive a long-pending trade pact. The deal aims to reduce high American tariffs imposed on Indian goods.
Currently, the US has levied up to 50% tariffs on several Indian products. Another 25% duty was added because of India’s continued import of discounted Russian oil.
The US, European Union, and the United Kingdom have been urging India to cut oil purchases from Russia, claiming that the trade indirectly supports Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Trump’s Remarks on Russian Oil
US President Donald Trump recently claimed that India has agreed to reduce its imports of Russian oil.
“He’s not going to buy much oil from Russia. He wants to see that war end as much as I do,” Trump said earlier this week.
“They’ve cut it way back, and they’re continuing to cut it way back.”
Trump also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “great person,” and said the two countries are “working on some deals.”
However, India officially denied any such discussion between Modi and Trump.
“I am not aware of any conversation yesterday between the two leaders,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a weekly press briefing.
India has consistently maintained that its energy imports are guided by national interest and energy security.
Trade Negotiations Continue
Despite occasional friction, both nations are making gradual progress on trade discussions. The shared goal is to raise bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.
Earlier this month, US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor met Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal in New Delhi. The meeting focused on expanding American investments and strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.
