Is Trump a partner India can trust? Jaishankar's take on US-India ties

Business Standard

a day ago

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on a visit to Brussels this week, shared candid views on India's foreign policy priorities, the evolving geopolitical landscape, and relations with major powers — including the United States under President Donald Trump. In an interview with Euractiv, Jaishankar, who met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU's foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, also addressed India's position on terrorism and its relationship with China.
Asked whether India trusts Donald Trump and views him as a reliable partner, Jaishankar responded, 'Meaning what?'
He said, 'I take the world as I find it. Our aim is to advance every relationship that serves our interests — and the US relationship is of immense importance to us. It's not about personality X or president Y.'
On India's relationship with China, Jaishankar highlighted a growing trend among global companies seeking to 'de-risk' supply chains by investing in India. He pointed out that many firms are also wary of where they store their data, emphasising that 'they'd rather place it somewhere secure and trustworthy than simply go for efficiency'.
'Would you really want that in the hands of actors you don't feel comfortable with?' he asked, underlining India's pitch as a more reliable economic partner than China.
#WATCH | "We strongly believe that there should be zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. In that context, it is also essential that we never yield to nuclear blackmail. This is a shared and interconnected challenge for the global community, and it is… pic.twitter.com/ca49CwDGh8
— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2025
Terrorism and the Kashmir question
Jaishankar also addressed international perceptions of recent violence in Kashmir, where a terror attack in Pahalgam claimed 26 lives. He challenged the framing of the conflict as a simple 'tit-for-tat' between nuclear neighbours.
'Let me remind you of something — there was a man named Osama bin Laden,' he said. 'Why did he, of all people, feel safe living for years in a Pakistani military town, right next to their equivalent of West Point? I want the world to understand — this isn't merely an India-Pakistan issue. It's about terrorism. And that very same terrorism will eventually come back to haunt you.'
Jaishankar was also pressed on India's refusal to impose sanctions on Russia or take a stronger stance in support of Ukraine. 'We don't believe that differences can be resolved through war — we don't believe a solution will come from the battlefield,' he said. 'It's not for us to prescribe what that solution should be. My point is, we're not being prescriptive or judgemental — but we are also not uninvolved.'
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas at the first strategic dialogue in Brussels on June 10. (Photo: X/@DrSJaishankar)
Jaishankar defends India's neutrality
When challenged on whether India was being too neutral, Jaishankar defended the country's position by recalling its own experiences.
'We have a strong relationship with Ukraine as well — it's not only about Russia. But every country, naturally, considers its own experience, history and interests,' he said.
Jaishankar said that India had the longest-standing grievance, as its borders were violated just months after independence when Pakistan sent invaders into Kashmir. 'And the countries that were most supportive of that? Western countries. If those same countries — who were evasive or reticent then — now say 'let's have a great conversation about international principles', I think I'm justified in asking them to reflect on their own past,' he said.
India in a multipolar world
Looking ahead, Jaishankar emphasised the importance of a multipolar world and Europe's evolving role within it.
'Multipolarity is already here,' he said. 'Europe now faces the need to make more decisions in its own interest — using its own capabilities, and based on the relationships it fosters globally.'
He acknowledged Europe's growing pursuit of 'strategic autonomy', calling it a term that was once part of India's own vocabulary. 'The EU is clearly a major pole in the global order — and increasingly an autonomous one. That is precisely why I'm here: to deepen our relationship in this multipolar world.'
India's reservations on EU green agenda
On the European Union's push to set global standards through its Green Deal — especially the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) — Jaishankar said, 'Let's not pretend — we're opposed to parts of it.'
He said, 'We have very deep reservations about CBAM and we've been quite open about it. The idea that one part of the world will set standards for everybody else is something which we are against.'