Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has assured that every free trade agreement India has signed protects sensitive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries and small industries. He said the deals open up large export opportunities for farm goods, marine products, high-precision items and MSME products.

Goyal was speaking on Thursday at the curtain-raiser for the 31st CII Partnership Summit at Taj Palace in New Delhi. He expressed confidence that India’s exports of goods and services would reach the $1 trillion target in the current financial year.

The minister said India has concluded deals giving preferential market access in 38 developed countries through nine free trade agreements and preferential trade pacts over the last four and a half years. These cover markets worth $60 trillion of global GDP, he said.

Goyal said India once hesitated to engage with the developed world but now negotiates with self-confidence. While the world builds walls, India is building bridges, he added.