‘We don’t negotiate at gunpoint’, why did Piyush Goyal say this amid trade talks with Arica

Amid the global tariff war launched by US President Donald Trump, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India is currently in discussions with the United States on a trade deal. He emphasised that India’s interests will remain paramount and negotiations will not be done under external pressure. When asked about the progress of the India-US trade deal, Goyal told reporters, “I have said many times before – we don’t negotiate at gunpoint. Time constraints may help in having timely discussions, but it is never wise to rush into taking decisions that may compromise national and public interests.” His remarks came a day after President Trump announced a moratorium on reciprocal tariffs for all countries except China. India, which was initially expected to be hit by the tariffs, has received a 90-day reprieve. Goyal said discussions between India and the US are moving forward with the principle of ‘India First’, which is aligned with the country’s vision of a developed India 2047. India and the US are aiming to complete the first phase of their trade deal by autumn 2025 (September-October), with a long-term goal of more than doubling bilateral trade from the current USD 191 billion to USD 500 billion by 2030. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also commented on the development, saying India is actively negotiating with both the US and the EU on trade deals. He said the Trump administration has responded swiftly to India’s proposals. “Within a month of the new administration taking office, we had a conceptual agreement to work on a bilateral trade deal. We are looking for a practical solution that respects the concerns of both sides. This is not an open-ended process,” Jaishankar said.