Mumbai/Washington, April 9 -- India will prioritise its national interests while negotiating trade pacts with the US and other countries, commerce minister Piyush Goyal assured businesses on Tuesday, even as a top US trade official ruled out near-term exemptions from President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs - some of which come into effect on Wednesday, and have already caused havoc on markets.
"India First is our mantra, is our guiding principle," Goyal told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Mumbai, offering reassurance amid ongoing negotiations with the US following the imposition of 26% additional tariffs on Indian exports, which come into effect on April 9.
Meanwhile in Washington, US Trade Representative Jamieson Gree...