അമേരിക്കയുമായുള്ള വ്യാപാര ചർച്ചകൾ പുരോഗമിക്കുന്നു: ഇന്ത്യയ്ക്ക് 'താരതമ്യ നേട്ടം' അനിവാര്യമെന്ന് പിയൂഷ് ഗോയൽ

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday that talks with the United States over a trade deal are progressing "steadily" and the two sides are working on the fine print. Goyal noted that the trade deal would be finalised once the US give "comparative advantage" to India as well. The remarks from Goyal came during the ET Startup Awards 2026, which was being held in Bengaluru.

While talking about the India-US ties, Goyal emphasised that tighter access to H-1B visas can benefit India by encouraging skilled professionals to stay back, bringing more tech work to the country and boosting the startup ecosystem. Goyal's latest comment came just days after the US Trade Representative, Jaimeson Greer, said that a deal was not imminent, and FM Nirmala Sitharaman stated that talks had hit a plateau.

"Going by what the US itself has said, it has nothing more to add or offer, and the fine print is being worked out," Goyal said at the Awards. "The key issue is how the US will give us the comparative advantage we had agreed upon in February. That requires legal expertise, which AI cannot provide, because this goes beyond the textbook. That is what we are working on," he added.

US visa curbs would benefit Indians

The Indian trade minister, who just returned from the United States, also maintained that several American companies had outlined their plans for India as they looked to tap the Indian talent pool and highlighted the cost advantage here.

"Look at the entire ecosystem, and you will realise that every H-1B visa not granted is a big win for India," Goyal said. He maintained that Tighter H-1B access could give Indian startups, particularly in deep technology, greater momentum, adding that the sector has significant room to grow in India.

Goyal made it clear that he had never raised the issue of H-1B visas or green cards in his conversations with the US, as immigration was not directly related to trade, although the movement of people to deliver services was important. He noted that a growing share of technology work was coming to Indian cities as companies recognised the value of setting up GCCs here.