Goyal: Modi govt’s FTAs crafted in national interest

The Modi government's trade agreements are “well crafted” and “thought through” in national interest unlike the Congress-led UPA regime that “voluntarily” tried to open Indian market for competitors like China, Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday, adding that India is currently discussing free trade deals with the EU, the US, Chile, Peru, New Zealand and Oman.

- Rajeev Jayaswal

Piyush Goyal, minister of commerce and industry.

(AN)

“If you see the kind of FTAs (free trade agreements) that we are working on, you'll find a clear shift away from countries which are competitors to India,” he said, recalling the move of Congress-led UPA regime in 2011-12 when the Manmohan Singh government “voluntarily chosen to start discussing the RCEP [Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership] and engage” with a grouping which included China.

Goyal made the remarks during ASSOCHAM's annual conference in New Delhi while replying toa specific question about the Modi government's bilateral trade engagements and strategy behind recently concluded and ongoing negotiations for FTAs.