Commerce Minister says India negotiates from strength under PM Modi’s leadership
February 27, 2026: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enabling India to negotiate trade deals from a position of confidence. Speaking at the Ideas Of India Summit 2026 hosted by ABP Network, Goyal said India’s recent economic engagements reflect strong political direction and strategic clarity. During the session titled ‘Master Of The Deal – Negotiating With Trust’, he noted that while global trade equations remain fluid, particularly amid developments in the United States, India has secured agreements that safeguard national interests and protect sensitive sectors such as agriculture, dairy and MSMEs.
Addressing concerns over solar tariffs and safeguard duties, Goyal clarified that anti-dumping and protective measures operate independently of free trade agreements and are standard tools to shield domestic industries. He stressed that key agricultural products including dairy, rice, wheat, maize and soybean were kept outside trade negotiations. On textiles and regional competition, he highlighted zero-duty access to the European Union and expanded market access elsewhere as evidence of India’s growing competitiveness. The United States, he added, remains a strategic partner across defence, technology and critical minerals, with trade forming just one pillar of a broader relationship.
Reiterating that every negotiation is guided by national interest and the welfare of 140 crore Indians, Goyal said India is balancing Aatmanirbhar Bharat with deeper global integration. The fifth edition of Ideas of India, themed ‘The New World Order’, is being held in Mumbai on February 27 and 28, bringing together policymakers and industry leaders to debate India’s roadmap to 2047 and its evolving role in a shifting geopolitical landscape.