New Delhi, Sep 12 (KNN) India will protect its national interest while signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement and that a few industries can not be allowed to hijack the country’s interest, said Piyush Goyal,  Commerce & Industry Minister.

He said the sooner the pact is concluded with adequate protection for domestic industry, the better it is for India.

“National interest can’t be hijacked by one or two industries... Maximum interests should be protected,” Goyal said after a meeting with industry on trade remedies.

He stated that pharmaceutical and cotton textiles sectors have supported the proposed deal and that concerns of certain sectors related to China would be taken care of.

Besides this,  he said India will align its anti-dumping rules with global best practices in the next 10 days to allow such duties to be used to their full extent.

“We have a lesser duty rule because of which we can’t levy duties to their fullest extent. The EU and many other countries, however, do not follow this rule", he added.

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