Bengaluru

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said India negotiates from a position of strength and not under deadlines.

He accused the Congress of "negotiating and signing agreements that were not in the national interest" during the UPA government’s tenure.

His remarks come a day after Goyal stated that India would accept a proposed trade deal with the US only when it is fully finalised and in the national interest.

Speaking to reporters here, Goyal said, "India does not negotiate under deadlines. We negotiate keeping national interest in mind, and national interest is paramount in all our engagements across the world."

He added, "After the Modi government came to power, we have signed free trade agreements with Mauritius, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, and the four-nation EFTA (European Free Trade Association) grouping—Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein—and now with the UK last month."

According to him, India continues to engage with other developed nations, including the EU bloc of 27 countries, the United States, Oman, Peru, and Chile.

"Today, India negotiates from a position of strength. We are self-confident and can compete with anybody in the world. This is not the weak India under Congress and the UPA, which signed agreements that were not in the national interest," he added.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Indo-US trade deal, after Goyal claimed that India would not enter into an agreement "under deadlines."

The Congress has been attacking the Prime Minister "for remaining silent" and not countering US President Donald Trump's repeated claims of bringing a halt to hostilities between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.

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Trump had reportedly set a deadline of July 9 to finalise the trade agreement with India.