“Trump does not go by the road”: Montek Singh Ahluwalia urges open trade, warns 6.5 % of growth is not enough in BT India @100 Summit

Trump’s introductory war may have destroyed the global commercial play book, but for India, it is also a moment to reset – not by following the United States on the path of protectionism. Speaking at the BT India@100 summit, Montec Singh Ahlia, the former Vice -Chairman of the Planning Committee, said the real opportunity lies in compatibility with a more open and multi -polarized commercial system – excludes the United States if necessary.

“What President Trump did is to dismantle the global trading system based on the rules,” Ahlia said. “It may not hurt the United States yet, but the full impact of these definitions still has to feel it. The biggest question is – what should we do?”

His answer: Do not imitate. “Just because the United States is behaving like a fatwa does not mean that we must also give birth to us. The European Union, the United Kingdom and Japan – things have become mainly with the United States that leaves us an option: Do we join the club or draw our own path?”

AHLUWALIA called for a deeper integration with the non -American world. “We need to close the free trade agreement with the European Union, follow up on the United Kingdom deal, and we are seriously considering joining CPTPP-an open trade-based commercial bloc that includes Japan, Korea and Australia. It would send a clear message that India is still committed to global trade.”

He rejected the idea that commercial deals should only be signed with non -competitors. “This is not the way the global value chains operate. Competitors are trading with each other – they only work at different levels of the series.”

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In China, AHLUWALIA has approved security tensions but warned of economic isolation. “Strategic concerns may limit some imports, but we should not adopt Trump’s mistake in obsession with the bilateral trade deficit. This gives you zero signs in economics 101.”

He emphasized the urgency of the moment. “We are not in the 1991 crisis, but the growth of 6.5 % will not fulfill the jobs or VIKSIT BHARAT. We need 9 % growth, and we need a new strategy. Protection is not.”