Keeping best interests of India at forefront of US bilateral trade talks: Piyush Goyal

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has said that the bilateral trade discussions between India and the US are being done keeping best Indian interests.

"We have had a series of engagements. All of them are going well in the right direction. Obviously, we are covering a wide array of subjects, a wide array of products, and I can assure business persons across the country that we are keeping the best interests of India at the forefront of our discussions," said Goyal.

India and the United States have been in talks for a bilateral trade agreement. Last week US President Donald Trump slapped reciprocal tariffs on many countries, including 26 per cent tariffs on India.

Goyal was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event organised by the Dubai Chambers on deepening Dubai-India business collaboration.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai, deputy prime minister and defence minister of the United Arab Emirates and Sultan Bin Sulayem, group chairman and CEO of DP World, were among the dignitaries present.

Last year, the foundation stone was laid for Bharat Mart which is coming up at Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone in Dubai. Bharat Mart is being built by DP World and is envisaged as a marketplace that provides Indian traders, exporters, and manufacturers access to markets in the Middle East, Africa and Eurasia. 

The DP World CEO said that the construction has begun and phase one of Bharat Mart will be completed by the end of 2026.

Separately, an initiative Bharat Africa Setu has been launched by DP World with the Ministry of Commerce and supported by the Ministry of External Affairs, which will connect India and Africa through sea and air connectivity between ports, economic zones and logistics parks operated by DP World and partners.

"Indian exporters can access 53 African countries where DP World already has a strong logistics footprint, connecting to over 4,00,000 points of sales throughout Africa. The platform will provide Indian businesses access to robust warehousing, trade finance, and distribution networks, fueling south-to-south cooperation and growth," said the DP World CEO.

An MOU between DP World and Cochin Shipyard aims to drive collaboration in ship repair, ship construction, offshore fabrication and oil and gas.

"Through this, we will explore opportunities to develop ship repair clusters along the India coastline and leverage the expertise of both organisations," he said.

DP World is also on track to complete the Tuna-Tekra mega container terminal at Kandla, Gujarat in 2027.