Mukundan said concluding a trade deal was preferable to not having one, given the importance of the US market for Indian businesses. However, he stressed that market access and tariff outcomes must remain the key consideration for Indian negotiators.
“So we need to engage, and doing this deal is better than not doing the deal,” Mukundan said.
The CII President noted that the United States, along with the European Union and the United Kingdom, remains among India’s most important economic partners, serving as major destinations for exports as well as key sources of technology and capital.
According to Mukundan, Indian industry’s primary expectation from any trade agreement is that tariff treatment for Indian exports should be comparable to or better than that available to competing countries.
“The access we get to the US market must be equal to or better than that of our peer competitors. That has been our only point,” he said.
His comments come as India and the United States continue discussions on a potential trade arrangement amid evolving global trade dynamics and tariff policies.
Mukundan said the timing of any agreement should be guided by the quality of the deal rather than by arbitrary deadlines.
“What we need to do is aim and shoot when the opportunity is right,” he said.
The industry body believes stronger trade engagement with major global markets will be important for sustaining India’s growth trajectory and enhancing its competitiveness in international trade.
