Committed To Strengthen Economic Ties With Global Partners: Goyal As He Retains Commerce Ministry

Piyush Goyal has been appointed as the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry under the third term of Modi’s Government with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by BJP. He retained his seat in Mumbai North Lok Sabha defeating the Mumbai Congress vice president Bhushan Patil with 3.57 lakh votes.

Goyal following his appointment thanked the Prime Minister in a post on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote that he is grateful for the trust he put in him. He also welcomed the minister of state (MoS), Jitin Prasada into the Ministry.

He wrote, “My deepest gratitude to PM @NarendraModi ji for entrusting me once again with the responsibility of helming the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. Also, it is my pleasure to welcome my colleague MoS @JitinPrasada ji to the Ministry.”

Goya added that the government is committed to further strengthening trade and economic ties with global partners while serving the best interests of enterprising domestic industry.

“Building on the strong foundation of record export milestones achieved in the previous term, we will continue to set higher targets over the next five years to realise PM Modi Ji's vision of making Bharat the third-largest economy in the world,” he added.

The 60-year-old Goyal was previously a Union Minister in both 2014 and 2019. While Goyal served his term, there was a prominent shift in India’s trade policy from the Look East policy implemented under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

In his 35-year-long political career, Goyal held the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry portfolios in the 2019 Union Cabinet. Later, the Railways ministry was divested and he was handed the additional responsibility of the Food and Public distribution portfolio. He was earlier the Minister of Railways and Coal (2017-19) and also held additional charge of Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs twice in 2018 and 2019. 

He was Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy (2014-2017), and Mines (2016-17). Goyal was the Member of the Upper House of the Parliament of India (Rajya Sabha), and the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha in the second term of Modi's prime ministership. As railways minister, the chartered accountant and investment banker oversaw the launch of the first Indigenous semi-high-speed train, the Vande Bharat Express between Delhi and Varanasi. 

He has served as the National Treasurer of the Party. In the 2019 Indian General Elections, he was a member of the Manifesto and Publicity Committees. He also headed the BJP's Information Communication Campaign Committee for the Indian General Elections 2014.

(With ANI Inputs)