India will not rush into trade agreements or act under pressure, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday, stressing that any deal must be built on long-term interests, trust, and mutual benefit rather than arbitrary deadlines.

Speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue, Goyal said India is in active talks with several countries and regions, including the European Union and the United States, but will continue to take a careful and strategic approach.

“We are in active dialogue with the EU. We are talking to the US, but we do not do deals in a hurry and we do not do deals with deadlines or with a gun to our head,” Goyal said during the discussion.

The minister, attending the high-level forum in Berlin, said India always makes trade decisions based on national interest.

“I do not think India has ever decided who its friends will be based on any other considerations other than national interest. And if somebody tells me you can’t be friends with the EU, I won’t accept that. Or if somebody tells me tomorrow, I can’t work with Kenya, that’s not acceptable,” he said.

Goyal’s comments come amid reports that the US has been urging India to reduce crude oil imports from Russia. Without naming any country, he made it clear that India will not let external pressure dictate its economic or diplomatic decisions.

Highlighting India’s long-term view on trade, he said agreements should not just focus on tariffs but also aim to strengthen partnerships and trust.

“Trade deals are for a longer duration. They are not only about tariffs or access to goods and services; they are also about trust and relationships,” he said. “It’s a demonstration to businesses that both countries can work together and that their enterprises can prosper, be protected, and get a fair deal.”

Goyal also pointed out that India never takes decisions “in a rush or in the heat of the moment” and is focused on exploring new markets to counter the impact of high tariffs from some countries.

“We’ve accepted that there are tariffs on us, and we’re looking at how to overcome that. We’re looking at newer markets. We are looking at a stronger demand impetus within the Indian economy,” he explained.

Referring to ongoing trade talks with the US, Goyal said discussions are progressing steadily, but India will not compromise its core interests to meet any timeline.

“We are talking to the US, but we don’t do deals in a hurry,” he reiterated. “We don’t do deals with deadlines or with a gun on our head.”

Earlier, in an interaction with DD News, he said that India’s Commerce Secretary recently met US counterparts to advance talks for a fair and balanced trade agreement.

Goyal highlighted India’s demographic advantage, saying the country’s young, tech-savvy population is a major strength.

“We have a demographic dividend; our average age is only 28 years, which you won’t find in many other parts of the world except Africa. Now that young person, connected to the internet, with a billion users, is very aspirational. That aspiration is driving him to work harder and adopt new technologies, new languages, and new countries,” he said.

He also noted that while India’s economy is officially $4 trillion, it is much larger when measured by purchasing power parity.

“While it may seem it’s only a $4 trillion economy, on a purchasing power parity basis it is already at $15 trillion,” Goyal said.

India has already signed free trade agreements with the UAE, Australia, and the UK, and is actively pursuing similar deals with the EU, New Zealand, and other countries to deepen economic ties.

Goyal concluded by saying that India’s trade policy is guided by self-reliance, fairness, and long-term trust, not by short-term pressure or external influence.