Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said India would continue to protect its dairy sector and would not allow the import of genetically modified (GM) products, describing both as sensitive areas in the country’s trade policy.
Addressing students at Kirori Mal College in New Delhi, Goyal said India had never opened its dairy sector under any free trade agreement and would maintain its position in future trade negotiations.
He said the government remained committed to safeguarding the interests of farmers, fishermen and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) while negotiating trade agreements.
“We are very sensitive to opening our dairy. In fact, till date, we have never opened up dairy for anybody,” Goyal said.
He also asserted that India had never permitted the import of GM products and would continue to maintain this position. Referring to religious sensitivities associated with food production, the Minister said India requires certification of dairy products to ensure that ingredients and manufacturing processes do not hurt religious sentiments.
He specifically referred to the use of animal-derived rennet, an enzyme traditionally obtained from the stomach lining of young calves and used in cheese production.
Goyal said India’s trade negotiations were aimed at creating new market opportunities and employment while ensuring that domestic producers and farmers benefited from greater access to international markets.
The Minister said India seeks preferential market access for sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, and gems and jewellery. He added that the objective was to secure lower tariffs for Indian goods compared to competing countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and the Philippines.
On employment opportunities, Goyal said the government was promoting domestic manufacturing and creating avenues for regular employment. He also encouraged students to explore entrepreneurship and startup opportunities.
Highlighting India’s export performance, the Minister said the country was targeting USD 1 trillion in exports of goods and services in 2026-27.
He said India’s exports had reached approximately USD 480 billion during April-September 2026, registering year-on-year growth of around 14 per cent. The country would need to achieve exports worth another USD 520 billion in the remaining six months to meet the annual target.
Goyal expressed confidence in India’s export performance, adding that October export figures would be officially released in mid-November.
On China’s export controls on tunnel boring machines, the Minister said India would explore domestic manufacturing if supplies were affected. He recalled that the country had pursued indigenous alternatives when access to rare earth materials was restricted.
The Minister also said India was engaging with aircraft manufacturers Embraer, Airbus and Boeing to increase aircraft availability in the country, a move expected to support the expansion of the aviation and tourism sectors.
-PTI
