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NEW DELHI: Union commerce and manufacture curate Piyush Goyal connected Wednesday defended the India-US bilateral commercialized statement successful the Lok Sabha, saying India had “successfully safeguarded” its delicate sectors, peculiarly agriculture and dairy, aft astir a twelvemonth of negotiations betwixt the 2 sides.
“As the Members of the House are aware, since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sojourn to the United States successful February 2025, India and the US person been regularly engaged successful discussions with the nonsubjective of concluding a balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral commercialized agreement,” Goyal said.
He added that negotiators from some countries held intensive discussions astatine aggregate levels implicit the past year. “During these negotiations, the Indian broadside successfully ensured the extortion of its delicate sectors, peculiarly agriculture and dairy,” helium said, noting that the US excessively had areas it considered sensitive.
Year-long talks, cardinal sectors finalised
Goyal said it was earthy for some sides to support captious interests portion seeking the champion imaginable outcome. “After respective rounds of deliberations spanning astir 1 year, the negotiators from some sides person succeeded successful finalizing respective areas of the bilateral commercialized agreement,” helium told the Lower House. He said the statement would assistance beforehand flagship initiatives specified arsenic Viksit Bharat, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make successful India and Design successful India for the world, portion besides enhancing the export competitiveness of Indian exporters.
The curate said the woody would unfastened up opportunities for skilled Indian professionals and micro, tiny and mean enterprises (MSMEs) successful the US market.
Tariff simplification little than competitors
Referring to the latest telephone betwixt PM Modi and Trump, Goyal said, “On 2nd February 2026, PM and US President Donald Trump held a telephonic speech connected respective matters of bilateral and planetary importance. After this, President Trump announced a simplification successful tariff to 18 per cent.”
He added, “I would similar to stress the information that this tariff is little than the US tariff connected respective rival nations,”. Further the curate added that, “Energy information for Indians is the apical precedence of government.”Goyal maintained that the statement balanced the interests of some countries portion protecting India’s halfway sectors and strengthening bilateral commercialized ties.US President Donald Trump connected Monday nighttime connected his societal media level Truth Social announced that India and the US person “agreed to a commercialized deal” and besides the US would trim tariffs successful India from 25 per cent to 18 percent.PM Modi aboriginal successful a station connected X acknowledged Trump’s announcement saying, “Delighted that Made successful India products volition present person a reduced tariff of 18%. Big acknowledgment to President Trump connected behalf of the 1.4 cardinal radical of India for this fantastic announcement. When 2 ample economies and the world’s largest democracies enactment together, it benefits our radical and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.
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