Last Updated:February 27, 2026, 12:41 IST

Piyush Goyal: “We will have to wait and watch and ensure interests of India are protected…Should the circumstances change, the deal will be rebalanced…”

Piyush Goyal said India’s interests will be protected in the US trade deal. (File)

Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, during a Rising Bharat conversation with CNN-News18’s Rahul Shivshankar said the situation over the trade deal with the United States (US) is evolving amid their court ruling.

“For us, the US is an important trading partner, strategic and technological partnership…for Quads, Pax Silica… The US is an evolving situation. We are in dialogue with the administration in the US. We will have to wait and watch and ensure interests of India are protected. I want to assure that India stays committed to engaging for the best possible opportunities which were negotiated with the US for a deal that gives us competitive advantage,” said Goyal.

“Should the circumstances change, the deal will be rebalanced…The deal has many elements. There are so many positives. Trade deal or international trade is about comparative and competitive advantage. Trade deal is not about what the tariff is. It is about the advantage you get over competition. At 50% tariff, we were at huge disadvantage and the fact that we were able to bring it down to much lower than the rest of competition, was huge for India’s agriculture, handicrafts, diamonds, pharmaceuticals…India is on the move and our exports this year will be higher,” he said.

Explaining the government’s rationale, Goyal said, “When 140 crore Indians are backing you, when you want to make sure that the journey towards Viksit Bharat provides opportunities to the men and women…No country has become a developed nation without trade, partnerships, alliances…PM Narendra Modi was very clear from 2014…He systematically set our house in order, got rid of corruption scams from UPA era, strengthened macroeconomic fundamentals…”

“After reaching a position where India became a voice of the global south, we started to build bridges with developed nations…PM Modi’s strategy was to engage from a position of strength, engage keeping in mind our strategic interests, sensitivities, strengths, while opening doors to the world. That helped in our effort to quickly build a robust, win-win situation with our trading partners. We provide lakhs and crores, our farmers, MSMEs, youth a bright future,” he said.

Rising Bharat summit

Positioned at a pivotal moment in India’s growth journey, the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026 brings together top national leadership and international delegates at Bharat Mandapam on February 27–28.

Anchored in the theme, “Strength Within,” the summit stands as one of the country’s largest platforms where governance, economic ambition, and strategic thinking converge, reflecting India’s expanding influence in global conversations.

Against this backdrop, Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the keynote address, giving direction to the summit’s central theme. His address will outline India’s long-term developmental roadmap, economic momentum, and strategic priorities in a rapidly shifting global order, while setting the tone for deliberations over the two-day gathering.

Over the years, the Rising Bharat platform has evolved into a credible venue for substantive policy dialogue, and the 2026 edition signals sharper engagement around the ideas shaping India’s next phase of progress.

The theme salutes the collective strength within every citizen-the power that drives innovation, sustains democracy, India as a leading light on the world stage.

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