Piyush Goyal meets UAE, Indonesia trade ministers; discusses trade, investment ties on BRICS sidelines
Jaipur, August 7
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday held separate meetings with his counterparts from the UAE and Indonesia on the sidelines of the BRICS Trade and Industry Ministers' Meeting in Jaipur, discussing ways to strengthen trade, investment and economic cooperation.
Goyal met UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani Al Zeyoudi and discussed further strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
"Discussed ways to further strengthen the momentum of our trade & investment ties under the India-UAE CEPA, and explored avenues for collaboration across diverse sectors," Goyal said in a post on X.
The UAE is one of India's largest trading partners, while the CEPA between the two countries has provided a major push to bilateral trade since it came into effect in May 2022.
In a separate meeting, Goyal met Indonesian Trade Minister Budi Santoso and reviewed progress in negotiations related to the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).
"We reviewed the progress of the AITIGA negotiations and discussed ways to further deepen our bilateral economic engagement and strengthen resilient supply chains," Goyal said.
He added that the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing trade-led growth and strengthening India-Indonesia economic cooperation.
India and ASEAN have been reviewing AITIGA with the aim of making the agreement more effective and addressing concerns around the existing trade arrangement.
The bilateral meetings were held on the sidelines of the BRICS Trade and Industry Ministers' Meeting in Jaipur as India holds the BRICS presidency in 2026.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While these meetings are important, I wish the government would focus more on domestic manufacturing and MSMEs. Trade deals are good on paper, but small businesses here still struggle with red tape and logistics costs. Just saying what many entrepreneurs feel. 🤔
The BRICS presidency in 2026 is a big opportunity for India to shape global trade narratives. Piyush Goyal ji is doing solid work - the UAE CEPA has already increased our exports significantly. More such proactive diplomacy needed! 🇮🇳💪
AITIGA review is long overdue. Many Indian industries like dairy, agriculture, and textiles have suffered due to cheap imports from ASEAN countries. I hope our negotiators ensure strict quality checks and safeguard clauses for sensitive sectors before signing anything new.
Interesting to see Rajasthan hosting BRICS trade meetings. This could bring more investment to the state, especially in gems, jewellery, and textiles which are our strengths. The UAE and Indonesia meetings make complete sense given our trade volumes with both nations.
Impressed by India's proactive approach on the BRICS platform. The UAE and Indonesia are crucial partners for both energy security and supply chain resilience. This kind of multilateral engagement is exactly what emerging economies need in today's uncertain global environment.
A We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.