Jaishankar in US: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during his ongoing visit to the United States, emphasised that while India and America may have disagreements and moments of friction, the two nations must continue to deepen their strategic partnership.
Speaking at an event hosted by Newsweek in New York on Monday, Jaishankar said, “Relationships will never be free of issues and even differences. What matters is the ability to deal with them and keep trends moving in a positive direction.”
Recalling his time as India’s Ambassador to the US, Jaishankar highlighted past diplomatic tensions such as the fallout over the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York, Section 301 trade disputes, and US arms sales to Pakistan. “We dealt with it,” he said, reinforcing the idea that challenges are a natural part of complex partnerships.
US and India-Pakistan ceasefire
Jaishankar’s remarks come at a time when India and the US have clashed diplomatically over claims made by the Trump administration regarding a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following border clashes in May. President Trump had claimed credit for brokering the ceasefire, while India has publicly refuted that version.
Despite this diplomatic disagreement, Jaishankar insisted that the broader India-US relationship is underpinned by strong economic and strategic convergences. He pointed to ongoing trade negotiations as a sign of forward movement.
US-India trade deal
India and the US are currently in talks to finalise a new trade agreement. “Obviously, my hope would be that we can get to a successful conclusion to the trade deal,” Jaishankar noted, while acknowledging the need for flexibility on both sides. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the deal is in its final stages of negotiation.
Jaishankar is scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday. The meeting will take place on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ summit, which also includes Japan and Australia.
Quad and Indo-Pacific cooperation
Discussing the Quad’s agenda, Jaishankar highlighted maritime security, digital technology, connectivity, pandemic preparedness, and education as key areas of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. “There are a lot of issues we need to discuss,” he said, underlining the group’s growing strategic importance in the region.
India’s global anti-terror message at the UN
In a parallel event at the United Nations headquarters, Jaishankar inaugurated an exhibition titled “The Human Cost of Terrorism”. The exhibition, organised by India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, showcases the impact of major terrorist attacks including 9/11, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and the recent Pahalgam incident.
Calling for global unity against terrorism, Jaishankar declared, “There must be no yielding to nuclear blackmail. Terrorists must face no impunity and must never be treated as proxies.” His remarks come as Pakistan assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council this month.
The exhibition will run in two phases from June 30 to July 3 and again from July 7 to 11.