Trade deals to create new jobs for youth, says PM Modi amid India-US talks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (January 23) said that India was entering into trade deals with several countries to generate new employment opportunities for the youth both inside the country and abroad. His remarks come at a time when India and the US are negotiating the much-awaited bilateral trade agreement between them.

Virtually addressing the 18th Rozgar Mela, where he handed over 61,000 appointment letters for various government jobs electronically, PM Modi further stated that trade agreements being signed with other countries were opening up new possibilities for the Indian youth.

“India is signing trade and mobility agreements with several countries. These trade agreements are bringing new opportunities for the youth of the nation,” said the Prime Minister.

‘New job opportunities for the youth’

He further stated that it has the maximum number of youngsters in the world, and his government was making efforts to create new opportunities for the youth within the country and abroad.

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"These trade agreements bring in new opportunities for the youth of India. In the last few years, a lot of resources have been put into making world-class infrastructure. In this, a lot of jobs have increased in any sector connected to construction. India's startup ecosystem is also progressing forward at a great speed," said PM Modi.

"Today, there are around 2 lakh registered startups, in which more than 21 lakh youth are working. Like that, Digital India has propped up a new economy. India is becoming a global hub in sectors like animation and digital media. India's creator economy is also growing at a fast pace, which is giving the youth new opportunities," he added as quoted by ANI.

A PMO statement said the Rozgar Mela is a key initiative aimed at translating this vision into action in line with the prime minister's commitment to accord the highest priority to employment generation.

What Commerce Secretary had said

Earlier this month, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal had said that the first tranche of the India-US bilateral trade agreement is “very near”, though no timeline can be fixed for its announcement, US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent penalty linked to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil have put India-US trade relations under strain.

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“There are engagements going on, and negotiating teams are talking virtually on issues which are still pending. But we can’t put a deadline. It’s very near,” Agrawal said, adding that an announcement would come when both sides are ready.

Despite the tariffs, Agrawal said exports to the US were “still holding on to a positive trend”, at about $7 billion a month. On energy, he said imports from the US had risen, while trade with Iran remained limited.

(With agency inputs)