'India seeks fair trade pact with US, talks still on'

A day after US President Donald Trump claimed India had offered to cut its tariffs to zero, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said talks on a bilateral trade pact with Washington would not be bound by deadlines, and that any agreement must be fair and mutually beneficial.

- Dhirendra Kumar

Goyal confirmed that discussions with the US were active despite the recent friction over Washington's recent tariff hike and a postponed round of talks. "We never negotiate trade deals with a deadline. We only negotiate good trade deals that are mutually beneficial," Goyal told industry leaders at the 20th Global Sustainability Summit organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry. "We are always open to an equitable and mutually beneficial tra