An Indian commerce ministry team will soon visit Washington for another round of talks on the proposed trade agreement with the US to iron out differences in sectors, like agriculture and automobiles, a government official said on Thursday.
A government official said India and the US are exploring an interim trade deal within 90 days.
A team of US officials is expected to visit India in the coming weeks for the next round of discussions on the proposed interim trade agreement between the two countries, sources said. The visit gains importance as India and the US are likely to agree on an interim trade agreement before July 9, with New Delhi pushing for full exemption from the 26 per cent reciprocal tariff on domestic goods.
Manuscripts of Bhagavad Gita and Bharat Muni's Natyashastra have been added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, joining 74 other new documentary heritage collections from 72 countries and four international organizations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the inclusion, describing it as a "proud moment for every Indian across the world." He highlighted the Gita and Natyashastra's contributions to civilization and consciousness, emphasizing their continued inspiration. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also celebrated the recognition, emphasizing the historical significance for India's civilizational heritage. These additions bring the total number of inscribed collections on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register to 570, with India now having 14 inscriptions.
Dismissing allegations that Indian phacosrmaceutical companies copy products of Swiss firms, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said it is a long-standing myth and India respects intellectual property rights and never steals technology from others. He said that Swiss pharmaceutical companies have not shown even a single instance that Indian companies have illegally copied any of their trademarks or patents or copyrighted technology.
Goyal was to visit Beijing from August 2 to 3 to take part in the RCEP Intersessional Ministerial meet.
Here are the key highlights of the Interim Budget 2019-20 presented by Finance Minister Piyush Goyal in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal that the players in the sector should start lowering prices and, if the worst comes to the worst, write off investment as bad business decisions.
'That way you're not hostage just to US sort of exports to India.'
Finding solutions to address non-tariff barriers would be important for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) and both sides are actively working on resolving these issues, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. He said the two sides are "pretty" close to finalising the talks for the proposed free trade pact.
The country's goods and services exports have crossed $820 billion in 2024-25, marking a nearly 6 per cent increase over the previous fiscal year despite global economic uncertainties, the commerce ministry said on Wednesday. The exports stood at $778 billion in 2023-24.
A week after the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad claimed 270 lives, investigators on Thursday continued to sift for clues to ascertain the cause, while the government said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will decide where to decode the black box of the ill-fated Dreamliner.
An articulate ex-banker and a chartered accountant by training, Piyush Goyal is particular about numbers.
The Budget is expected to make some key announcements, including relief package for farmers, poor and sops for the middle-class.
'That combination of a rising economy, a growing middle class, and a deepening love of diamonds and jewellery is what we see really doubling the market for diamonds over the next five years.'
Bollywood celebrities like Prasoon Joshi, Bhushan Kumar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Anu Malik, Abhishek Kapoor, Kunal Kohli, Vipul Shah, Urvashi Rautela, Kailash Kher, Ranvir Shorey, and Anil Sharma were among the Bollywood personalities who attended a special meeting with Union minister Piyush Goyal and Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president Bijayant Panda on Sunday as part of central government's Citizenship Amendment Act outreach programme. The dinner was organised at a five-star hotel in Mumbai and was an invitation-only affair.
'The startup ecosystem, the government, and the owners of large pools of Indian capital need to actively support the creation of these local champions, not pull down the teams that are trying hard to get there.'
The CII Business Summit 2025's inaugural session witnessed a rousing standing ovation and a felicitation ceremony for the defence top brass sending a strong message about India's rising military industrial complex and hghlghting that security is a top-of-the-mind issue for India Inc.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said the government is ready to resume talks with the farmers protesting the new farm laws but asserted that despite repeated proposals, the protesters have not come up with any 'concrete suggestion' so far.
India and the US are likely to agree on an interim trade agreement before July 8 with New Delhi pushing for full exemption from the 26 per cent reciprocal tariff on domestic goods, an official said. The US on April 2 imposed an additional 26 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods but suspended it for 90 days till July 9.
The BJP has nominated Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal as its candidate from Maharashtra for Rajya Sabha election.
Foreign direct investments into the country is on the rise, jumping to $12.1 billion in May this year, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. He also said the government is working on a mission mode to achieve exports target of $400 billion in 2021-22. "India has received the highest ever FDI inflow in 2020-21. "It surged by 10 per cent to $81.72 billion and FDI during May 2021 is $12.1 billion, i.e. 203 per cent higher than May 2020," he said while addressing a meeting of different industry associations on promoting exports.
'This country today is demonstrating to the world the true meaning of federalism, the true meaning of working in partnership between the central government and the state governments.'
Tharoor's recent remarks on Kerala's industrial growth sparked controversy within the Congress state unit.
'Are all roads in India privatised? Are governments not playing a role in airports or ports? If they (private players) want to set up lines for a specific requirement, I see no reason to object. It will expand the opportunity and passengers will also benefit.'
The meet will see Goyal batting for structural reforms at the WTO, where India has repeatedly called for reforms, especially in the dispute resolution mechanism that has effectively been held hostage by the US.
'Do not get into the calculations that you see on television...Oh if you are looking at $5 trillion economy, the country will have to grow at 12 per cent, today it is growing at 6-7 per cent'
Piyush Goyal has begun his term as railway minister with characteristic energy, but not all his new initiatives are being praised
With US President Donald Trump "temporarily suspending" country-specific reciprocal tariffs until July 9, India sees the three-month window as an opportunity to renew its push for a proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US and expedite finalisation of the first tranche of the trade deal.
Shetty, who won the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat by margins of more than four lakh in 2014 and 2019, was denied a ticket in the 2024 general elections.
Brendan Lynch, the assistant US trade representative for South and Central Asia, will pay a five-day visit to India beginning Tuesday, days before US President Donald Trump's tit-for-tat tariff kicks in. The senior US trade official is expected to hold talks with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal besides meeting a number of senior Indian officials.
Sitharaman, India's first full-time woman Finance Minister, broke away from the colonial tradition of carrying a Budget briefcase in July 2019, opting instead for a traditional 'bahi-khata', to carry the Union Budget papers.
Issues related to the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) and bilateral investment treaty between India and the UK are expected to figure during the three-day visit of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to London from April 8-10, official sources said. The minister will attend a host of meetings, including the India-United Kingdom Economic and Financial Dialogue, in London.
India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held bilateral talks with US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and chaired a conclave of top global intelligence chiefs focusing on strengthening cooperation in confronting various security challenges including terrorism and threats posed by emerging technologies. The meeting also focused on security in the Indo-Pacific region, cooperation to counter terror funding and money laundering, and issues relating to extradition and immigration.
Speaking at the banquet she hosted in President Dissanayake's honour, President Murmu said Sri Lanka is an important part of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and New Delhi would continue to support Colombo's efforts for economic development.
Minister of state for power Piyush Goyal will gift wooden-framed 'appreciation letters' to one million govt employees.
Senior officials of India and the US will begin three-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement in New Delhi on Wednesday amid threats of reciprocal tariffs from the Trump-administration, an official said. To formally start the negotiations on the pact, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, along with a team of officials, is in New Delhi.
Government representatives told a parliamentary panel that the US has not officially conveyed to India that it should cut tariffs by April 2.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said India is looking for a "good" trade agreement with the US to promote economic growth and ensure smooth supply chains. She also said that amid a growing global tariff war, India will have to move "smartly" to guard against possible dumping of goods from countries that are facing higher US tariffs.
Starlink's application for offering satcom services in India had been held up for the company's inability to comply with mandatory ownership disclosure norms.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances