Piyush Goyal meets key foreign, business leaders in New York, discusses trade and energy

Washington, Sep 25 (IANS) Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has held a series of meetings with key foreign and business leaders in New York, aimed at strengthening India's trade, investment, and energy cooperation.

Goyal on Wednesday (local time) held a meeting with Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and discussed ways to "further boost bilateral trade and investment ties".

He also met World Bank President Ajay Banga and discussed "strengthening collaboration to accelerate India's sustainable development journey".

The Minister interacted with senior executives of global investment firms on "investment opportunities in India's robust and resilient economy."

On Tuesday, Goyal attended a high-level session on energy security in New York, where he called for expanding India-US energy trade.

He spoke about the "scope to expand India-US energy trade" and collaboration on nuclear power as an affordable clean energy option, and promoting start-ups in renewables.

He called for "global cooperation to ensure a secure and sustainable energy future" and highlighted India's "integrated national grid, ensuring resilience and uninterrupted supply."

Goyal reaffirmed PM Modi's vision of 'One Sun, One World, One Grid', India's leadership in solar energy and the International Solar Alliance, and the "country's renewable energy achievements, underscoring India's commitment to inclusive, sustainable and affordable growth."

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday hailed New Delhi as an "awesome ally" and said he is a "huge fan of India," while calling for deeper energy cooperation between the two countries.

Addressing a press conference in New York, Wright praised the country as a "dynamic society" with a "rapidly growing energy demand."

"A lot of my early time when I arrived in my position was dealing with India, the world's largest democracy, an awesome ally of the United States, a fast-growing economy, a truly dynamic society that has a rapidly growing energy demand because people are increasing their prosperity, their opportunities. I'm a huge fan of India. We love India," he added.

Earlier on Monday, Piyush Goyal met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New York to negotiate the first tranche of a trade agreement between the two sides.

Sources told IANS that the meeting focused on addressing key sticking points, and both sides remain hopeful of reaching an interim understanding soon.

--IANS

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