India-China Trade Talks Amidst Widening Deficit

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met his Chinese counterpart to discuss trade issues, highlighting India's growing trade deficit with China exceeding USD 100 billion. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 14th ministerial conference in Cameroon, signaling a critical point in India-China trade relations.

India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal engaged in trade discussions with Chinese Minister Wang Wentao on Friday. The bilateral talks occurred during the 14th ministerial conference in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Goyal's social media post indicated they exchanged views on the conference agenda, focusing on bilateral trade relations. This meeting is crucial as data shows India's trade deficit with China has crossed the USD 100 billion mark this fiscal year.

As of April-February 2025-26, India's exports to China surged by 37.66% amounting to USD 17.54 billion, whereas imports from China increased by 15.21%, reaching USD 119.55 billion. Consequently, the trade deficit expanded to USD 102.01 billion compared to USD 91.03 billion in the previous year.

(With inputs from agencies.)