By Admin 
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has launched a scathing attack on Congress on Thursday. He took a dig at the criticism made by the Congress regarding the Free Trade Deal (FTA) between India and the European Union. The Union Minister took a dig at Congress’ reaction by saying ‘the grapes are sour’.
Congress party’s track record is bad: Goyal
While talking to news agency ANI, he said that this is a matter of ‘sour grapes’. Discussion regarding this deal started in 2007. This discussion was put on hold in 2013. The government of that time did not have the courage and will to finalize the deal. Due to fear, UPA and Congress governments could not take decisive steps. He said that Jairam Ramesh considers himself anti-development. You have seen it. As Environment Minister, he had stopped the country’s development journey. The track record of Congress party is bad.
Congress has endangered India’s economic interests: Goyal
Piyush Goyal has accused Congress of endangering India’s economic interests by promoting trade agreements with China. He said that friends like Jairam and parties like Congress were forcing India to join the FTA with China. I want to ask him directly, how did you think about the delay in India joining RCEP? This was actually an FTA between China and India? How dare you think of putting India in danger? This was a serious mistake of Congress. Congress people should answer. How were they prepared to harm India’s interests through an FTA with China? This is the track record of Congress. Congress’s FTAs are failing. He has compared the India and EU FTA with the FTA done during the time of Congress.
FTA with Japan-Korea was very bad: Goyal
Goyal said that the Congress government had signed an FTA with Japan and Korea. It was so bad that our exports to those countries did not increase at all. The products on which we had got discounts are not even able to reach those markets. Their exports to India have doubled. He defended the agreement between EU and India and said that there will be zero duty on 99% of the goods exported from India. We have negotiated a balanced FTA. We have signed agreements with developed countries on our own terms. But unlike the Congress era, we do not sign FTAs with countries that compete with us or have lower labor costs. This will cause loss to our manufacturers.
India is the fastest growing economy in the world: Goyal
Apart from Jairam Ramesh, Goyal also responded to the statement given by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that the Indian economy is dead, but said that it is the fastest growing big economy in the world. Today, except India, no economy is growing at 7-8% rate. India is moving forward on the path of progress. This includes poverty reduction, startup growth and expansion of infrastructure. He said that 25 crore people have come out of poverty. Youth are becoming employers through startups. Infrastructure is expanding across the country. People’s lives are getting better. Income is increasing. Besides, taxes are also being reduced.
He said that the negative thinking of Congress cannot stop it now. That thinking had held India back for decades. The agreement between EU and India holds a high position in international geopolitics. Under the leadership of PM Modi, India has gained recognition all over the world. Today India is preferred as a trading partner by developing countries around the world.
What did Congress leader Jairam Ramesh say in his post?
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had said in a post that this agreement is the biggest trade concession given to any partner. India should examine its impact on trade deficit. He has also expressed concern over the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism. He has said that the Modi government’s failure to exempt Indian aluminum and steel manufacturing companies from the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is one of the most worrying issues regarding the Congress’s FTA deal.
Ramesh said that India’s aluminum and steel exports to the EU have declined from $7 billion to $5 billion. It may decline on January 1, 2026. Over time, other categories of India’s industrial imports will be included in CBM. This could eliminate India’s benefits from FTA. Also expressed concern over EU health and product safety norms acting as non-tariff barriers. He said that the EU wants access to India’s service sector. These include financial services and sea transportation.