“Japan or Korea don’t open their markets to our products unlike India,” says Union Minister Piyush Goyal, urging support for Indian products

Commerce and Industry Ministerl Piyush Goyal has called out Indian businesses for not supporting local manufacturers the way other countries do. 

Speaking about India’s trade ties with Japan and South Korea, Goyal said that even though India has Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with them, these countries rarely open their markets to Indian products. 

“Unlike Japan or Korea, which, with which we have FTAs, it’s a highly nationalistic spirit that they don’t… they really don’t open their market to our products,” he said.

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Why Japan and Korea still limit Indian exports despite FTAs

According to the Union Minister, Japan and Korea don’t depend on strict government laws to protect their markets. Instead, their industries and buyers naturally support one another. 

“Not by government edict or government law. Industry supports each other, something which I keep pleading in India, but don’t get much traction,” he added.

He expressed concern that in India, many businesses still prefer to import goods even when similar products are available locally. 

“So if two of you were to be customer and supplier, and even if it was slightly costlier to buy locally than buying from abroad, sadly, we will prefer to import,” Minister Goyal said.

"Countries like Japan and South Korea have a nationalist spirit. We have an FTA with them but their companies buy only from domestic suppliers. I keep pleading for the same thing in India but I get no traction," complains Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal pic.twitter.com/Vr9cvc3si8

— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) October 16, 2025

The Union Minister urged Indian businesses to adopt a similar mindset of cooperation and mutual support. He said that buying local products, even if they are a bit more expensive, will strengthen India’s manufacturing sector and reduce reliance on imports in the long run.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s statement highlights the need for a change in business habits within India. He believes that for India to grow stronger, its companies must first trust and support one another instead of looking abroad for cheaper options.

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