Goyal hits out at Congress for raising concerns over India-EU FTA

Piyush Goyal defends the India-EU FTA against Congress criticism, highlighting its potential for economic growth and business opportunities.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) criticised the Congress for raising concerns over the India-EU free trade agreement, saying the pact is not a zero-sum deal but a win-win pact, which will power the country’s economic growth and create huge opportunities for businesses and people.

The Congress on Wednesday (January 29) flagged concerns after the India-EU free trade pact was sealed, including the Narendra Modi Government’s “failure” to secure an exemption for India’s aluminium and steel makers from the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and tariff reduction or relief on over 96 per cent of the bloc’s exports to India.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said there are also concerns about the EU’s strict health and product safety rules, which will continue to be in force over Indian exports even after the FTA, as well as the concern about India’s largest export to the EU -- refined fuels.

In a reply to Mr. Ramesh’s remarks on social media, Mr. Goyal said it is interesting to see that those who could not take decisions because they had no connection with the people on the ground are today making a virtue of not doing anything.

The Minister said that Indian people have paid immense costs for this lost opportunity, and the country has lost valuable jobs, income and growth, and people have rightly punished this inaction many times.

“I only hope my friend will shed this negative and pessimistic approach, which is unable to see our aspirational people raring to go out and do business with the world. Let’s work to open opportunities for them, rather than act as roadblocks in their quest for prosperity,” Mr. Goyal said on X.