Washington, July 1 External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar has said that challenges are an inevitable part of complex bilateral relationships, but the key lies in ensuring that the overall direction remains positive.
Reflecting on India-US ties, he emphasised that the relationship has demonstrated a consistent upward trend over the past 25 years.
Speaking in an interview with Newsweek after arriving in Washington for the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting on Tuesday (Indian time), Jaishankar noted, "For the last 11 years, if one looks at the trend lines, they have been very positive. From Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden and back to Trump -- five very different Presidents. Yet, at the end of each Presidency, if you do a dipstick on India-US relations, you will find that it is better off than it was at the beginning of that term."
Sharing a link to the interview on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Shared perspectives on India's role and position in a multipolar world -- as a civilisational state, a pluralistic democracy, a talent pool, a diplomatic bridge and a voice of the Global South."
The EAM underlined the structural drivers of the bilateral relationship, saying, "The trend line over the last 25 years has actually been very strong. There are structural factors that work for the relationship -- economics, technology, human bridges, education, security, energy -- all these are drivers of the relationships."
Acknowledging that diplomatic friction is not uncommon, he said, "Are there arguments, differences or episodes? Of course, it happens; it won’t be for the first time. At every one of these Presidencies, I can think of something, which at that time, was a friction point."
He cited past instances such as the fallout over the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York, US arms sales to Pakistan and Section 301 trade disputes as examples of diplomatic friction.
"We dealt with it," he 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," Jaishankar added, reinforcing the long-term stability of India-US ties despite short-term challenges.
On the topic of trade, the EAM said, "We are in the middle, hopefully, more than the middle, of a very intricate trade negotiation. Obviously, my hope would be that we bring it to a successful conclusion. I cannot guarantee, because there's another party to that discussion, but no question."
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also confirmed that the trade deal is in its final stages of negotiation.
Jaishankar is scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday during the Quad Foreign Ministers' summit, which will also include representatives from Japan and Australia.
"I believe it's possible, and I think we'll have to watch this space for the next few days," Jaishankar added.
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