India Ready for Urgent Trade Talks Amid Tough US Stance: EAM S. Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Friday stated that India is fully prepared for urgent and high-stakes trade negotiations with the United States amid an evolving and challenging global trade scenario.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Friday stated that India is fully prepared for urgent and high-stakes trade negotiations with the United States amid an evolving and challenging global trade scenario. Speaking at the Carnegie Global Technology Summit, Jaishankar emphasized that the Trump administration’s changed approach to global engagement has created a new trade dynamic that demands immediate attention and strategy.
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“This time around, we are certainly geared up for a very high degree of urgency. We see a window,” said Jaishankar, highlighting the ambitious nature of the current US trade policies.
India-US Trade Relations Enter Crucial Phase
Jaishankar pointed out that while India has long engaged with the US on trade, the current climate under the second Trump era is distinctly more ambitious and challenging.
“We did four years of talking in the first Trump administration. They have their view of us and frankly we have our view of them,” he remarked.
The EAM emphasized the strategic importance of India-US trade ties, particularly as tech and economic interests become deeply interlinked in the new global order.
Tech, Trade, and Geopolitical Shifts
Highlighting the growing importance of technology in geopolitics, Jaishankar remarked that “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) now has a strong connection with technological leadership. He also noted the dramatic power shift globally with China’s increasing geopolitical influence and Europe’s declining strategic triangulation with the US, Russia, and China.
“Every side of that triangle [Europe-US-Russia-China] is now under stress,” he observed.
He also noted that countries like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are positioning themselves through advancements in technology, while India is prioritizing semiconductors and digital infrastructure to boost its global standing.
Call for Collaboration in Technology and Trade
Jaishankar concluded his keynote by encouraging experts, policymakers, and global leaders to support India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and to look at India’s tech transformation positively.
