India-US Trade Talks Reach Final Stages, But No Compromise at Any Cost

Talks between India and the United States on a proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) have reached the final stages, but India has made it clear that it will not rush into a compromise at any cost. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that the broad points of the trade agreement between India and the United States were agreed on February 6. Since then, teams from both countries have been working on the details of the agreement. India and the United States are very close to finalizing the trade deal, but India will not compromise on its trade interests. According to Piyush Goyal, the most important issue of the current negotiations is how to get Indian products a better tariff position than competing countries in the global market. He said that the United States is looking at legal and policy options that can give India a competitive edge. The government believes that if Indian exporters do not get adequate tariff benefits, it will not benefit from the trade agreement. Piyush Goyal also wants India to make a statement on creating direct jobs for the country.