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Developed Nations Now Aspiring To Enter Into FTAs With India: Goyal

Piyush Goyal stressed that India was ready to take decisive steps towards becoming a developed nation, a vishwaguru (world leader)

Photo Credit : PIB

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Amid the uncertainty of the Indo-British trade deal, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said that developed nations are now aspiring to enter into free trade agreements (FTAs) with India. 

While speaking at an event in Hyderabad, he said that the fastest FTA in the world was concluded between India and UAE in just 88 days. 

He added that the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations were also gearing up to sign FTAs with India. 

Goyal asked India’s business community to give primacy to products that are made in India. 

The minister emphasised the need to promote industry and manufacturing in India and said that this would help boost employment and bring prosperity to the lives of our citizens. 

Endorsing PM Modi’s call to the travellers and tourists to spend at least 5 per cent of their travel budget on locally made products, he said that our talented artisans, craftsmen and entrepreneurs deserve to be supported and promoted. 

Goyal pointed out that in the last 30 years, India’s GDP had grown by 11.8 times. 

He reminisced that there was a time when a large section of the population was focused on securing the very basic necessities of life such as food, clothing and shelter. 

The minister observed that the situation has improved tremendously now due to the government’s extensive focus on structural reforms that make sure that people are freed from the constant struggle for the necessities of life. 

He went on to say that the reform that was closest to his heart was the government's success in building over 12 crore toilets, taking safe sanitation, a very basic necessity, to every household in the nation. 

“It was not just a matter of toilets but that of dignity and self-respect, especially for our women,” Goyal stressed. 

The minister stressed that India was ready to take decisive steps towards becoming a developed nation, a vishwaguru (world leader). 

He expressed confidence that India’s huge youth population had the capability to drive this quest forward. 

“India is the sole bright spot in the world today. The world is looking towards India with great hope," he added.