The Union Commerce Minister, Piyush Goyal, on Wednesday told Parliament that the government had been successful in protecting the Indian agriculture and dairy sectors in the India-US trade deal. The US reduced the tariffs on India from 50% to 18% on Monday, which would help make India self-reliant. After the reduction, the tariffs on India are the lowest imposed on any competitor country. This deal would open ample opportunities for skilled Indian and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The minister said that ensuring energy security for Indians was the top priority of the government.
The deal was made in the national interest of the country. The opposition in the Lok Sabha (LS) continued to protest on the issue of the stand-off with China in 2020 and the unpublished memoir of former Army chief M.M. Naravane, during Mr. Goyal’s address. He was not able to complete his speech in LS due to disruptions made by opposition parties and thus posted on social media platform X, stating: “Today in the Lok Sabha, I was scheduled to deliver a statement regarding the India-U.S. trade deal. However, when the government came prepared to provide a factual clarification on the subject, the Opposition began creating a ruckus. Consequently, I am releasing my full statement here for everyone’s benefit.”
In response to the statement made by the Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, the Congress said that the Minister’s statement lacks clarity. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, Mr. Goyal spoke contrary to what Mr. Trump has mentioned in his social media account. It is 100% clear that Monday’s announcement of the deal at the urging of the Prime Minister was for grabbing headlines—nothing more, nothing else,” Mr. Ramesh said in a post on X.
