Let me break this down. Piyush.
I know the Prime Minister probably influences you quite a bit but what I’m going to write is pretty simple stuff.
Trade can be a bit tricky to understand at times but it’s a no-brainer to see that every one of us has a right to purchase what we like at a time of our choice and at a price we desire.
This is from where Free Trade gets its legitimacy.
“There has to be an equal and fair and reciprocal agreement”.
No. I know how the argument goes: You people are pretty rich. We’re not rich. So, YOU gotta give us concessions. Equal and fair. We will remove tariffs on 50% of our goods and you should be happy with that even though your country has 0 tariffs imposed on us.
What’s equal and fair about this? We get access to ALL of their market at no tariffs but you desire to only provide 50% market access?
“But wait, we went from 100% tariffs on goods to 50% tariffs on goods, look HOW MUCH we opened up, you’ve also got to ‘open up’ “.
Now, nobody has asked us to be and remain one of the most closed trade markets on this planet. So, we’re not doing them a favour by learning how to compete and getting access to better goods and technology. Removing tariffs helps us.
“No. But we want access to your services industry. Look how much we’ve opened up. Do the same.”
But they have 0% tariff so what exactly are you asking for? How can an open economy be more open?
Bottom line: Stop making childish arguments. Yes, opening up will hurt but it’s something the consumer has a right to and guess what, we’ll adjust. Give it a try!
“What we are trying to do is, making sure that my domestic manufacturers, my domestic industry, our stakeholders get a Fairplay.”
Fairplay? You get to access the foreign market at no tariff and with no investment conditions but do not want to provide the same in return? Who exactly is not reciprocating here?
You ask foreigners to sell their goods with Cost+Taxes and allow locals to only charge the price they desire.
Opening up is not a favour to anybody. Stop acting as if it is.