India negotiating FTAs with EU, US, Chile, Peru: Goyal

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) India is negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) with several countries, including the European Union, the US, Chile, and Peru, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday.

He said the world is looking at India, and several developed economies are negotiating FTAs with us.

The commerce ministry is engaged in these negotiations day in and day out, Goyal said.

"Subah ke samay Australia aur Japan me daftar khul jaate hain, doopahar ka samay hota hai toh Europe khul jata hai, shaam ke samay hota hai toh America se baat-chhit shuru ho jati hai...Peru, Chile se baat chhit shuru ho jati hai (In the morning, offices open in Australia and Japan; by afternoon, Europe is active; in the evening, discussions begin with the US...and with Peru and Chile)," he said.

The minister was addressing the Entrepreneur and Traders Leadership Summit here.

India and the US have been negotiating a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) since March. So far, five rounds of talks have been completed. The US has deferred its visit for the sixth round of talks in India. It assumes significance as the US has imposed a hefty 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, starting from August 27.

At present, a 25 per cent duty is in place. PTI RR BAL BAL