India-EU trade pact in final stage, US talks on track: Piyush Goyal

Rajkot (Gujarat), Jan 12:  The talks for a trade agreement between India and the European Union have entered the final stage, while negotiations are continuing with the US for a bilateral trade deal, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday.

The minister's statement came as he delivered the keynote address at the Regional MSME Conclave being held in Rajkot.

Goyal has just returned from Brussels, where he attended high-level talks with the EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, on Friday as part of the efforts to secure a mutually beneficial India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

India is pushing for zero-duty access for its labour-intensive sectors -- such as textiles, leather, apparel, gems and jewellery, and handicrafts.

"During this dialogue, we deliberated across key areas of the proposed agreement. We reaffirmed our commitment to a rules-based trading framework and a modern economic partnership that safeguards the interests of farmers and MSMEs while integrating Indian industries into global supply chains," Goyal said in a post on X.

Goyal’s remark on the continuation of India-US talks came on a day when the new US Ambassador to New Delhi, Sergio Gor, also said that the next round of the talks will be held on Tuesday (January 13)

Addressing staffers and journalists as he took charge of the US embassy here, Gor said that President Donald Trump conveyed "his best wishes to his friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

"The friendship between Mr Trump and Mr Modi is real, and the U.S. and India are bound not just by shared interests, but by a relationship anchored at the highest levels. Real friends can disagree, but always resolve their differences in the end," Gor remarked.

He also stated that while trade is very important for India-US ties, the two countries will continue to work closely together on other very important areas, such as security, counter-terrorism, energy, technology, education, and health.

He emphasised that both sides remain in regular contact despite differences over tariffs and market access.

--IANS