Sitharaman, Goyal and Agrawal to visit six countries as India steps up global trade outreach: What to expect?

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal will visit six countries in the coming weeks as India ramps up its global trade outreach efforts. The trio will travel to the US, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Goyal is already in Japan, leading a delegation of 200 Indian businesses. Sitharaman is expected to visit Canada and the US, while Agrawal will be in Argentina, Chile and Brazil. These visits aim to strengthen economic ties and advance bilateral trade agreements with the US, Canada and Chile.

During her visit to Canada, Sitharaman will meet Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne from August 26-27. The meeting will focus on strengthening economic and financial cooperation, promoting sustainable growth, and discussing global economic developments. Canada's economy is growing in sectors such as energy, agriculture, critical minerals, AI, and advanced manufacturing.

Sitharaman will then head to the US for the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, from August 31 to September 1. In September, Goyal will attend the G20 trade ministerial meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Goyal's visit to Japan, from August 24 to 27, is significant as Japan aims to invest $60,000 crore in India over the next decade. The delegation will cover various sectors including manufacturing, semiconductors, clean energy, steel, automobiles, financial services, healthcare and start-ups. Japan's bilateral trade with India was valued at $27.47 billion in FY 2025-26, with exports at $21.43 billion and imports at $6.04 billion.

Agrawal will begin his tour in Argentina on August 24-25, followed by Chile on August 26 and Brazil on August 27-28. India and Chile have a 20-year preferential trade agreement and are now negotiating a comprehensive economic partnership agreement to expand their trade relationship. Agrawal will chair joint trade committee meetings to address regional disputes and expand the MERCOSUR preferential trade agreement.