NEW DELHI: Union Minister Piyush Goyal hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks on India's trade negotiations with the United States and stated that nobody took the Congress leader seriously anymore because of the negativity he and his colleagues spread.

"Nobody takes Rahul Gandhi seriously anymore because of the negativity he, his colleagues, and his party consistently spread. They have lost the confidence of the people of India, who have time and again rejected the Congress. Till today, they have not been able to come up with any positive agenda for the development of the nation..." Goyal said, speaking to the reporters here.

He further stated that India negotiated keeping in mind the national interests, further stating that the country was self-confident and could compete with anyone in the world.

"India does not negotiate under deadlines; we negotiate keeping national interests in mind. National interest is paramount in all our work across the world... Today, India negotiates with a position of strength; we are self-confident and can compete with anyone in the world. This is not the India under UPA rule, which would beg for negotiations not under national interest..." he further added.