New Delhi, Feb 4: Union Minister Piyush Goyal has provided a firm assurance that the welfare of Indian farmers is the top priority in the interim trade agreement with the United States. Speaking in Parliament on February 4, Goyal directly addressed apprehensions that the deal might flood domestic markets with US agricultural products, asserting that sensitive sectors are shielded.
“India has been successful in protecting the agricultural and dairy sectors,” Goyal told the Lok Sabha.
The Minister’s intervention was intended to provide facts amid rising concerns triggered by recent reports from US officials. He noted that the negotiating team ensured no blanket opening of the market was agreed upon. Instead, the deal is designed to benefit MSMEs and labor-intensive sectors like seafood and engineering goods without undermining the agricultural backbone of the country.
He directly said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “has never allowed their interests to be compromised” and mentioned that in the sectors of fertilizer and agriculture, India’s sensitivities have been fully taken care of.
The government stated that while the US may show benefits for its own exporters, India has retained the right to protect vulnerable segments through specific exclusions.
Officials mentioned that the final details will be released in a forthcoming joint statement, but the current framework ensures that Indian farmers’ rights are not at risk.
