India-US ties 'very good' despite trade deal stalemate, says Piyush Goyal

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday described India-US relations as “very good” despite prolonged negotiations over a bilateral trade deal, US tariffs and other differences that have strained ties between the two countries.Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi, Goyal said he did not see a problem in the relationship at present and stressed that cooperation between the two countries remained important across several sectors.“I don’t see any problem as we speak,” Goyal said, responding to a question on whether India's relationship with the US would improve under a different administration.“The relationship with the US that India enjoys is very substantive, is very consequential for the world, being two large democracies,” he said. His remarks come as India and the US have struggled to reach an agreement on a trade deal despite prolonged negotiations. US tariffs have added to the strain, while differences over other issues have complicated efforts to improve ties.Goyal sought to underline that the broader relationship remained strong despite these challenges, saying it would improve irrespective of changes in political thinking in either country.TRADE DEAL TALKS REMAIN A CHALLENGE India and the US have held multiple rounds of negotiations to reach a trade agreement, but have yet to conclude a deal. The prolonged discussions have kept trade relations in focus, particularly as businesses await greater clarity on market access and tariffs.While Goyal did not hint at a breakthrough in the negotiations, his comments indicated that New Delhi continues to view its relationship with Washington as important beyond the immediate trade discussions.The two countries continue to engage on several fronts, including defence, technology supply chains, goods and services, the minister said.“The United States and India continue to have a very close relationship, and we continue to engage with them on so many tracks,” he said.The challenge for both sides remains to manage differences over trade while maintaining cooperation in other areas.TRUMP'S REMARKS ADDED TO STRAINRelations have also faced friction following US President Donald Trump's claim that he helped mediate an end to armed clashes between India and Pakistan last year. The claim irritated New Delhi, according to Bloomberg's report on Goyal's remarks.Separately, comments by US Vice President JD Vance urging American companies to hire more US workers have added to tensions over immigration and the movement of skilled workers.Sme Indian IT services companies, along with Microsoft and Adobe, were suspended from a longstanding US immigration initiative as part of a crackdown on alleged abuse of the H-1B visa system. The Indian government described Vance's comments as “deeply offensive”.These issues have added to the challenges facing the relationship even as officials from both countries continue to engage.INDIA ALSO LOOKING TO REVIVE CHINA TIESGoyal also said India was seeking to revive its relationship with China, while noting that the process was still unfolding.“We are open to all countries around the world as long as we get a fair deal, as long as we are ensured continuity in the engagement, and as long as the geopolitical situation does not deteriorate,” he said.His comments underline India's stated approach of engaging with countries where it sees scope for mutually beneficial ties, even as geopolitical tensions and trade disagreements continue to shape its external economic relationships.- Ends