
New Delhi, 04 February (H.S.): Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal defended the India-US bilateral trade agreement in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, assuring amid Opposition din that sensitive agriculture and dairy interests remain fully insulated, catalyzing opportunities for MSMEs, exporters, and Make in India for the World.
Undeterred by persistent protests—triggering adjournments until 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m.—Goyal detailed a year-long multi-level negotiation yielding favorable tariffs below those for competitors, prioritizing national priorities like fertilizers while reciprocally accommodating U.S. sensitivities.
India succeeded in protecting agriculture, dairy, and vulnerable sectors; this pact boosts labor-intensive manufacturing, advanced tech access, energy security for 1.4 billion citizens, and Viksit Bharat 2047, he emphasized, heralding complementary economies expanding aviation, data centers, nuclear realms.
Goyal pledged a joint statement post-formalization, underscoring exporter competitiveness, MSME empowerment, skilled labor upliftment, and innovation imperatives like Design in India for the World, as a joint communique looms.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar