India will not rush into a trade deal under external pressure, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated on Friday, underscoring New Delhi’s stance amid ongoing negotiations with the United States. Speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue during an official visit, Goyal reaffirmed that while India remains open to dialogue with Washington, it refuses to operate under arbitrary timelines.
“We are in discussions with the United States, but India doesn’t finalize deals under deadlines or pressure,” Goyal said, as quoted by Hindustan Times. “India looks at the long term we don’t make impulsive decisions. If tariffs are imposed on us, we will handle them by finding new markets and strengthening domestic demand. Our economy is built on resilience.”
His comments come as both nations continue efforts to revive a stalled trade pact aimed at lowering steep U.S. tariffs, which currently stand at around 50% on Indian exports. In addition, Washington has levied an extra 25% duty linked to India’s continued import of Russian crude oil.
The United States, along with the European Union and the United Kingdom, has repeatedly urged New Delhi to cut back on discounted Russian oil purchases, arguing that the trade supports Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Trump’s renewed claims on Russian oil
Goyal’s remarks follow fresh claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that India has significantly reduced 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, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a great person” and suggesting that both nations were “working on some deals.”
However, the Indian government has denied any recent discussions between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi. “I am not aware of any conversation yesterday between the two leaders,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly briefing, as reported by Hindustan Times. New Delhi maintains that its oil import decisions stem from national interest and energy security priorities.
Progress despite friction
Despite differences, trade negotiations between India and the U.S. continue to make steady progress. The two sides aim to boost bilateral commerce to $500 billion by 2030. Earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor met Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal in New Delhi to discuss strengthening economic ties and expanding American investment in India.