In Asia, India secured best trade deal with US: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi: India has secured the best trade deal with the US compared to its competing nations, and the two countries share a « very powerful » relationship, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said Saturday. India, he said, is building a worldwide web of trade partnerships.

Stressing that the $30 trillion US economy is the world’s largest and one that can’t be ignored, Goyal said, « It has been a fantastic journey. » »We have the best of relations. You would have observed that through the last year, President Donald Trump has always had the best of things to say about India as a country, and about Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi. We have fantastic relations with our counterparts there, » he said.

Addressing the Raisina Dialogue 2026, Goyal also said that « ultimately, a trade deal is about preference over your competition ».

« Even within your family, sometimes you can have one or two misunderstandings, » he said. « It’s a part of the course. I think it’s a very, very powerful relationship that the US and India share. And we got the best deal amongst all the nations with whom we compete, » said Goyal when asked about India’s trade ties with the US.

He added that both countries are strategic partners and the largest democracies in the world. »We have a large responsibility cast on both our nations, » said Goyal. « They are the world’s largest economy, $30 trillion economy, nobody can wish them away, » he said, adding that ultimately a trade deal is about preference over competitors. Insisting that India got the « best deal amongst all of the competitors » in the Asian region, Goyal said, « What’s a trade deal? You are trying to get a preference or a preferential access for yourself, your goods, your services, compared to your competitor.