At a WTO forum, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal put forward a case for trade-distortion remedies that fall within WTO rules, alongside an argument that nations still building their industrial base require room to set their own economic course.

At the final session of the G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting in Milwaukee, Goyal put forward the position that none of the sectors flagged by the G20 Presidency reflect structural overproduction on India's part, adding that the country's manufacturing output is oriented toward meeting demand both at home and in international markets.

A statement from Goyal outlined a drive to develop manufacturing value chains spanning from design through to finished products, with the country aiming to establish itself as a dependable node within global supply networks.

Addressing what he described as a shared concern, Goyal pointed to subsidy practices in certain economies that, in his view, distort trade flows and open the door to dumping and below-cost pricing. Those grievances, he argued, are to be handled through trade remedies that align with WTO rules — among them anti-dumping measures and countervailing duties — grounded in documented evidence and open to challenge before a judicial body.

Goyal's position held that geographic clustering of output — driven by concealed subsidies and related forms of state support — was where market distortions took root, rather than in the overall scale of industrial capacity.

Acknowledging supply-chain diversification as a worthwhile goal, he nonetheless argued that the pursuit of it should not become a pretext for departing from WTO rules or for placing the costs of adjustment disproportionately on developing nations.

Addressing the Most-Favoured-Nation principle, Goyal put forward the view that trade between India and G20 members ought to rest on a framework built around transparency, equal treatment, and agreed rules. Consensus-based decision-making at the WTO, along with protected status for developing nations under special and differential treatment provisions, were both positions he advanced as non-negotiable pillars of the organisation's framework.

Among the positions he advanced was a push to reinstate the WTO's two-tier mechanism for resolving trade disputes.

Addressing the issue of forced labour across global supply chains, Goyal described the country's drive toward its eradication as a commitment without qualifications or conditions. Pointing to Article 23 of the Constitution — a provision banning forced labour — he also drew attention to India's ratification of ILO Conventions 29 and 105.

A revision to the Foreign Trade Policy, enacted in July 2026, barred the entry of goods tied to forced labour production, according to the same statement.

Goyal argued that any trade border measures targeting forced labour are to rest on concrete, verifiable evidence rather than broad assumptions about entire nations, regions, or industries, and are also to align with due process requirements and WTO obligations. In his remarks, he pointed to the International Labour Organisation as the appropriate worldwide body with tripartite representation for setting labour standards.

On the question of forced labour, the position conveyed on India's behalf backed its elimination along with a voluntary sharing of good practices among G20 nations, on the condition that any such arrangement stops short of monitoring member states, generating fresh obligations, or laying the groundwork for unilateral trade measures.

During the final session, Goyal extended his appreciation to US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer and the G20 Presidency host nation for the logistical preparations and welcome extended throughout the gathering. Pointing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for nations to find common ground where agreement exists, Goyal noted that India had taken an active part in deliberations spanning all four subject areas.

Goyal put forward the position that India backs a trading framework built on rules, fairness, openness, and shared participation, with the WTO serving as its foundation. Protecting the policy flexibility available to developing nations ranked among his stated priorities, alongside a continued commitment to reaching decisions through collective agreement.

India's backing for the United Kingdom's chairmanship of the G20 in 2027 was put forward by Goyal during the meeting.

Pulling Goyal aside from the main gathering, counterparts from Australia, Saudi Arabia, France, South Korea, and Canada — each responsible for trade portfolios within their respective governments — held separate one-on-one exchanges with him covering bilateral matters.