'They Love Indian Fish, Shrimp': Piyush Goyal's 'Seafood Chat' With Singapore PM

Last Updated:September 04, 2025, 23:44 IST

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said based on his conversation with PM Lawrence Wong, he will send a delegation of seafood importers to Singapore

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said he held a discussion with Singapore PM Lawrence Wong over lunch on September 4. (Image: PTI/File)

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, who held discussions with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong over lunch on Thursday, said the leader told him about his country’s love for Indian seafood.

Goyal said Wong, who held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had “extensive" discussion with him on navigating the global trade disruptions caused by the tariff tussle with the United States.

“…We had lunch and extensive discussions with their teams to see what we can do and they have already committed to take in more chicken, eggs, and poultry. I talked to them about seafood and they said we love the taste of Indian fish and shrimp," Goyal said during an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi.

Goyal said based on this conversation, he has asked his high commissioner to put together a group of seafood importers to soon travel as a delegation to Singapore. He said when it comes to trade expansion, sky is the limit for India even amid worsening relations with the US due to the imposition of a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude oil.

He said exports this year will be higher than last year as India is trying to make it easier for exporters to supply in the domestic market while it explores other countries as potential markets.

“…We are trying to make it easier so that they [exporters] can supply in the domestic market. It’s a part of one of the reforms we are working on. Similarly, our missions are working in 50 countries, which we have identified through data analytics and artificial intelligence on the data of import and export of all other nations to identify where our products, which will need a market, can be offered. And in view of that, what we can buy from those countries who will also be stressed similarly," he said.

The Union minister said India is in talks with the United Arab Emirates to help the textiles and seafood sectors gain entry into the Gulf and Africa.

“…The Emirati minister and I, over our meetings on Friday and Saturday (August 29 and 30) last week, identified people and areas. He already connected us with his people there who can help our textile sector, get an entry into the Gulf and into all of Africa. He sent me connects with the seafood industry there. I am mounting a delegation to visit the UAE to connect with those people. On [September] 18 and 19, we have the high-level task force on investments. I’ll go to the UAE, where I will be taking a large business delegation," he said.

Besides a successful execution of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United Kingdom, he said similar pacts are lined up with Australia, Oman, New Zealand, European Union, Chile, Peru, and Eurasia.

“We will be looking at fast-tracking our free trade agreements in other regions. We are doing a second tranche in Australia, we’ll soon announce the closure of Oman and then New Zealand by the end of the year… The trade commissioner of the European Union, Maros Sefcovic, will be in India on September 11 and will be spending three days to speed up and conclude the European Union FTA. So, I have the four-nation FTA with Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, which comes into effect on October 1…" he said. “The UK deal has been executed, Oman will be announced; Chile, Peru, Eurasia terms of reference are finalised by October 4, 5, or 6. Similarly, Latin America, huge potential for our exporters."

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