US, China in competitive mode, India & others need to de-risk, diversify to secure interests: Jaishankar

During the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar described the two countries as being in a "competitive mode". Jaishankar, while speaking at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York after attending the UN General Assembly, stressed that other nations, including India, are working to "de-risk" and "diversify" to safeguard their own interests and ties.

The Foreign Minister acknowledged the complex nature of the Indo-US trade deal negotiations, sharing that while the two sides have reached a point of "more or less an understanding on the trade agreement." He highlighted terrorism originating from Pakistan as a significant concern for India, emphasizing its impact on the relationship with the United States if not fully understood by the US.

Referring to the 'G2' summit between Trump and Xi, Jaishankar noted that when the second-largest economy joins the first, they may have converging points, but they remain in a "competitive mode." He added that the rest of the world is busy arranging their strategies as the situation between the US and China is evolving.

Regarding the India-US trade negotiations, Jaishankar pointed to the "stakes" and "complexity" involved. He acknowledged that India, being a society of small producers, has unique challenges in the production and societal structure compared to the United States. Jaishankar stated that a trade negotiation requires patience and thorough details to see it through, and the expectation of rapid progress was tested against a more complex reality on the ground. Today, the two countries have reached a situation of understanding on the trade agreement.