Goyal made the remarks while delivering the keynote address at the Regional MSME Conclave in Rajkot, Gujarat.
The comments come days after India and the EU reported “good progress” in their trade negotiations following Goyal’s meetings with EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Brussels earlier this month. Both sides said outstanding issues had narrowed and reaffirmed their intent to conclude a fair and balanced agreement at the earliest.
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During the Brussels engagement, Goyal and Sefcovic directed their negotiating teams to expedite discussions and resolve pending matters. The negotiations, which have seen multiple rounds over the past few years, are aimed at concluding the agreement ahead of the next India-EU Summit scheduled later this month in New Delhi.
The European Union is India’s largest trading partner in goods, with bilateral trade valued at over $136 billion in 2024–25.
US-India bilateral trade talks to continueGoyal’s remarks also come against the backdrop of continued engagement between India and the United States on trade issues, with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Monday signalling optimism over the negotiations.
India and the United States have held multiple rounds of talks on a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), and Gor said the next round is expected as early as Tuesday.
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Speaking after assuming charge in New Delhi, Gor said differences between the two sides should be viewed within the framework of a resilient partnership. “Real friends can disagree, but resolve the difference,” he said, referring to the ongoing trade negotiations.
Gor added that India and the US remain in regular contact on trade matters despite unresolved issues related to tariffs and market access, even as New Delhi simultaneously advances its trade talks with the European Union.