- Sanjeev Sanyal called India-US trade developments a strong deal in the pipeline
- India's approach to external trade pressures has been measured and balanced
- India has never escalated things but will not back down either, Sanyal said
Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, has called the latest developments in India-US bilateral activities on trade a "strong deal in the pipeline".
At the NDTV Profit Conclave 2026, Sanyal pointed out India's measured response to all the external factors such as tariffs and other pressure tactics never threw the country off balance.
"We never escalate things, but we don't easily back down either," Sanyal told NDTV Profit. Reiterating this point, he said, "We had some [deals] with Australia, the UAE, the UK. The European Union, and of course one with the US as well. One important thing is that we never escalate things, but we do not easily back down either," he said.
"We are clear about what we consider to be national interest, and we will be patient if necessary, but we will get more or less the deal we want..." he said.
Sanyal agreed that the last few years have been particularly tough. India, however, managed to rise above hardships with focus and patience, he added.
A similar assessment was also made by Indian business leaders in the recently held World Economic Forum's meeting in Davos.
For example, India has done well by keeping quiet, and not reacting to the US noise.
"Our leadership has had a lot of calm approach towards the whole issue," Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal had told NDTV.
As part of the framework of its trade deal with the US, India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers' grains, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruits, soybean oil, wine and spirits, among others.
The US will, in turn, apply a reciprocal tariff of 18 per cent on Indian-origin goods under the relevant executive order, covering sectors such as textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, plastics and rubber, organic chemicals, home decor, artisanal products, and certain machinery.
Since joining the government in early 2017, Sanyal has been involved in many key reforms. For his contributions to public service, Sanyal was given the KPS Menon Memorial Award for 2023. The award is named after India's first foreign secretary.
Prior to joining the government, he spent over two decades in international financial markets, and served as chief economist for South and South-East Asia, and later as global strategist and a managing director at Deutsche Bank.
