Piyush Goyal Honors Gandhi in Illinois Amid G20 Trade Talks

Goyal remarked that Gandhi’s influence transcends borders, noting that figures like Martin Luther King Jr. drew directly from his principles to shape civil rights movements in the United States. He described the legacy of non-violence and cleanliness as an indelible mark on history that continues to guide the nation’s current trajectory.

Beyond the ceremonial visit, Goyal maintained a firm stance at the G20 sessions in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He challenged the World Trade Organisation’s current application of the Most-Favoured-Nation principle, arguing against making such treatment conditional upon obligations favored by specific member states. He insisted that the principle must guarantee equitable terms for traders regardless of their size, while calling for a more predictable and inclusive multilateral system.

Addressing concerns regarding trade distortions, the minister advocated for solutions rooted in evidence-based anti-dumping and countervailing duties. He explicitly distanced India from recent global criticisms of structural excess capacity, asserting that India operates as a domestic-demand-driven economy catering to 1.4 billion people rather than relying on the manufacturing surpluses targeted by the G20 Presidency.