S Jaishankar comments on Trump vs Kamala Harris rivalry in U.S. politics

While in Australia, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke alongside his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, about India’s relations with the United States, especially as the U.S. heads into a presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Jaishankar emphasized that India’s relationship with the U.S. has grown steadily over the last five presidencies, including during Trump’s previous term, and he expressed confidence that this trend will continue no matter who wins.

Jaishankar highlighted the progress made in recent years and explained that India values its strong ties with the U.S., regardless of political changes. He stated, “We are confident that whatever the verdict, our relationship with the U.S. will only grow.” Jaishankar’s comments underscored India’s optimism about working closely with the U.S., given the shared interests between the two nations.

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QUAD’s progress and future outlook

Jaishankar also discussed the QUAD grouping, an alliance of the U.S., India, Japan, and Australia aimed at enhancing regional security. He noted that the QUAD was revived under the Trump presidency in 2017 and has since grown in importance. He recalled that during the pandemic in 2020, QUAD foreign ministers held one of the few in-person meetings in Tokyo, signaling the importance of the alliance even in challenging times.

This election cycle, both Trump and Harris are reaching out to India. Trump has previously highlighted his positive relations with Prime Minister Modi and spoke about the need for tariff adjustments. In contrast, Harris has emphasized strengthening ties with countries like India, and if she wins, she would be the first female U.S. president, potentially influencing India-U.S. relations in new ways.

Jaishankar’s remarks reflect India’s balanced approach to maintaining strong relations with the U.S. regardless of the political landscape, as both countries continue to align on shared interests in global security and economic growth.