Without naming a particular country, commerce minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said that India found itself “let down miserably” by other countries during Covid-19 pandemic.
He added that New Delhi chose to double-down on self reliance when it was unable to source essential medicines and equipment to deal with the situation.
“During Covid, we really recognised the vulnerabilities that a nation like India, a large nation of 1.4 billion people, had to go through when supply chains were broken,” Goyal told the Bloomberg New Economy event in New Delhi. “Wherever we had placed orders for personal protective equipment or Covid kits or vaccines, we were let down miserably by all countries,” he added, Bloomberg reported.
Goyal said the West refused to provide them with Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, adding that they refused to make an application to get the vaccine into the Indian market.
“When we needed Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the West refused to give it to us,” he said. “They even refused to make an application to get the vaccine into the Indian market, even though we were willing to waive all the conditions, so it’s a global phenomenon.”
In response to that experience, Prime Minister Narendra Modi “gave the clarion call for Atmanirbhar Bharat, self-sufficient India,” Goyal said.
Bloomberg reported in July that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry was drawing up a list of more than 100 products across sectors such as electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, semiconductors, automobiles and machinery, where domestic manufacturing could be expanded to reduce import dependence.
Speaking at the same forum, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said India now produces all the components required for several products.
He outlined a strategy to deepen domestic manufacturing by moving up the value chain—from finished goods to modules, components, raw materials and capital equipment. The approach is also being pursued in semiconductors, railways and other industries, according to Bloomberg.
‘Rebuilding ties with China’, says Goyal
Goyal also said that India is working to rebuild ties with China, while stressing that the outcome of the process remains uncertain. He added that India is open to joint ventures with any country, provided the terms are fair, engagement remains consistent and geopolitical conditions do not worsen.
“We are working to develop relations with China once again, but the last word has not yet been scripted on this journey,” Goyal said.
His remarks come against the backdrop of strong trade ties between the two countries. Bilateral trade rose 7.9% to $127.7 billion in 2025-26, up from $118.39 billion in 2024-25, making China India's second-largest trading partner, according to PTI.
(With inputs from Bloomberg, PTI)