How does India see new-found friend China? Piyush Goyal says a ‘good relationship strained by Galwan’

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said India has traditionally shared a “good relationship” with China but acknowledged that the Galwan clash had strained ties between the two neighbours.

“We have always maintained a good relationship with China, but the Galwan incident has slightly strained it. Attending the SCO Summit had a multilateral dimension. We hope to restore better relationships,” the Union Minister said.

#Exclusive | We have always maintained a good relationship with China, but Galwan incident slightly strained it. Attending SCO Summit had a multilateral dimension. We hope to restore better relationships: Union Minister @PiyushGoyal#PiyushGoyalToNews18 | @18RahulJoshi pic.twitter.com/TGNxRG1xqX

— News18 (@CNNnews18) September 4, 2025

Speaking to News18 Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi in an exclusive interview, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal further stressed that India continues to favour engagement with all countries and highlighted the significance of the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

“With Prime Minister Modi’s participation, we hope to restore better relationships. India believes in maintaining good relations with all countries,” he said.

On US tariffs issue, Goyal said India was predominantly a domestic country, and the exports were a relatively small part of its overall GDP. “So Indian economy is a very complex economy and therefore I do not think that the impact on the GDP will be significant,” he said.

“India would increase its volume of exports more than last year’s despite tariff pressure by the United States, he said. He also dismissed speculation of the impact of tariffs on India’s exports and GDP, saying Indian exports to the US have already crossed $43 billion.