"We Never Negotiate At Gunpoint": Piyush Goyal, S Jaishankar Double Down On US

India will never negotiate at gunpoint, nor will it hurry into any deal over issues that are in the interest of its people, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said after Donald Trump's move to "pause" the reciprocal tariffs Washington had imposed on New Delhi for a period of 90 days. The move was seen as a limited window for India and the United States to speedily conclude a bilateral trade agreement that is currently being negotiated by both sides.

We will always put India first and will ensure that a deal is finalised keeping that sentiment in mind, the minister said, adding that "time constraints" may only be seen a motivating factor. "We never negotiate at gunpoint. Favourable time constraints motivate us for quicker talks, but till the time we are not able to secure the interest of our country and our people, we do not hurry (into any deal)," Mr Goyal said.

Speaking at the Italy-India Business, Science, and Technology Forum, Mr Goyal gave an update about how India's trade talks are progressing with the US, the UK, the European Union, and several other nations globally. "All our trade talks are progressing well, in the spirit of India First, and to ensure our pathway to Viksit Bharat by 2047 in the Amrit Kaal," he said without giving specifics of any deal.

He however mentioned that "Trade talks proceed when both sides are sensitive to each other's concerns and requirements."

Meanwhile, at another forum - the Carnegie Global Technology Summit - External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar too, spoke about India's trade talks with several nations and blocs, including with the United States.

Talking about India's preparations amid high-pressure negotiations since Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs announcement which changed the global trading dynamic, Dr Jaishankar said India is certainly prepared for a high degree of urgency in reaching a trade deal with regards to the United States. He added that Washington has "fundamentally changed its approach to engaging with the world and it has consequences across every domain."

The US has been very ambitious, said Dr Jaishankar noting that the global landscape is very different now, from what it was a year ago. The foreign minister went on to say that the trade deal with the United States has been very challenging.

"This time around, we are certainly geared up for a very high degree of urgency. I mean, we see a window. We want to see stuff. So, our trade deals are really challenging," the minister said, adding that "When I look at the trade deals, I mean it's not my direct credit, but we have a lot to do with each other. I mean, these are people very much on top of their game, very ambitious about what they want to achieve."

He further said that just like the US has a view of India, India too, has a view of the United States - and that is something they did not get the last time. "We talked for four years during the first Trump administration. They have their view of us, and frankly, we have our view of them. The bottom line is that they didn't get that."

Speaking about the trade talks with the European Union, the minister said, "So, if you look at the EU, often people say we've been negotiating for 30 years, which is not entirely true because we had big blocks of time and nobody was even talking to each other. But they have tended to be a very protracted processes."

Dr Jaishankar highlighted that China's decisions are as just as consequential as those of the US, when it comes to the global marketplace, adding that trade and technology influence the US-China dynamic.