No nation can veto India’s choice of friends: Jaishankar takes dig at US

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today defended India’s freedom to choose its global partners, asserting that New Delhi’s ties with Moscow have been the “most consistent and reliable” amid a world marked by turbulence.

Taking a dig at the US for objecting to the India-Russia relationship, the minister said, “For any country to expect having a veto on how we develop our relations with others is not a reasonable proposition.”

Speaking at an event hosted by a media house in New Delhi, Jaishankar was responding to queries on trade tensions with the Donald Trump administration and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India. “We have always made it clear that we have the freedom of choice. We have strategic autonomy,” he said.

On the potential India-US trade deal, he said it could happen “soon”, but refused to specify a timeline. He said there was need to be “extremely judicious” while negotiating the agreement. “It needs to be taken into consideration what’s best for our consumers, farmers, middle class and, thus, the country,” he said.

About efforts to “reset” China ties, the minister noted that “some of the issues with Beijing predated the Galwan clash of 2020”. He said several developments had taken place since and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping also met in Kazan (Russia) in October last year.

“Since then, by and large, the situation in border areas has remained stable…. Border peace is a key requisite to good relationships,” he said.

Asked if Putin’s visit complicated India’s relationship with the US, the minister said, “The world has seen a lot of ups and downs in the last 70-80 years, but the India-Russia relationship has been among the steadiest in the world.”

About “pressure” from Bangladesh to extradite former PM Sheikh Hasina after she was sentenced to death, Jaishankar said the “final decision would be up to the Awami League leader”.