India has never allowed import of GM products, will not do so in future: Piyush Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said India has never allowed imports of any genetically modified (GM) products and would not do so in the future, as it is a "very sensitive" issue.

Addressing students of Kirori Mal College in New Delhi, Goyal also said that dairy sector is "very sensitive" in the country and India has never given any duty concessions in any free trade agreement in this sector.

"We are very sensitive to opening up to certain agricultural produce, certain goods that we are very strong on like marine products. We are very sensitive to opening our dairy. In fact, till date, we have never opened up dairy for anybody. "We are very sensitive not to allow any GM products to come to India and we have never allowed it and we'll never allow it in the future. We are sensitive to our religious sensitivities. So very often in foreign countries, they use calf meat or Rennet while producing their dairy products. We don't allow that in India. It is strictly got to be certified...so that religious sensitivities of the large parts of India are not hurt," he said while replying to a question on trade pacts.

Rennet is an enzyme used in cheese-making, traditionally obtained from the stomach lining of young calves.

He added that in the trade pacts that India has finalised, the country has "never ever" compromised on any sensitive item and that it wants to protect its farmers, fishermen, and MSMEs.

"Our effort is to unlock new opportunities, new employment opportunities, new opportunities for our produce where we are competitive and where our larger part of India, our MSMEs, our agricultural farmers, everybody can benefit in a big way," the minister said.

He added that India always seeks preferential access for sectors such as textiles, pharma, agri products, and gems and jewellery.

"So these are all our offensive interests, where we work to get preferential market access. Where duties imposed on goods from India will be less than from our competing nations like Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, Philippines," he said adding "Our effort is how do we get India a preferential rate over our competitors".

Regarding jobs, he said the government is promoting manufacturing in the country in a big way.

"We are working to promote manufacturing, more government jobs. We are working to promote more opportunities for those who want to look for a regular employment. But the world today is opening up for entrepreneurship, is opening up for startups, is offering new opportunities, which I would urge you to seriously consider," Goyal said.