India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar pushed back strongly on Saturday against remarks made by a senior American official about India’s growth and its relationship with the United States. Jaishankar said India will decide its own future and that its rise is “unstoppable”. His remarks show New Delhi’s desire to act independently on major global issues.
Jaishankar’s Response at Raisina Dialogue
His remarks came at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. According to reports, they were a clear response to comments made by US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau at the same forum two days earlier, where Landau said the United States would not make “the same mistake” it did with China by giving India the type of economic advantages that helped Beijing grow. Landau’s comments were widely interpreted as the US signalling caution even as it pursues a bilateral trade pact with India.
“When we speak today about the rise of countries the rise of countries is determined by the countries,” Jaishankar said. “The rise of India will be determined by India. It will be determined by our strength, not by the mistakes of others.” He did not mention Landau by name, but his message was clearly aimed at the US official’s remarks. Jaishankar said India alone will chart the trajectory of its growth and influence in the world.
Role in the Indian Ocean
Reports say that he also spoke about India’s position in the Indian Ocean region, saying India is “right in the middle of it.” He said that growth in India would be like “a lifting tide” that will help other countries in the region, and pointed out that there are challenges ahead, but the direction of India’s rise is clear and “in a way, it’s unstoppable.”
Landau, according to his remarks reported at the conference, acknowledged India’s growing importance and said the US wants a partnership that benefits both sides. However, he stressed that any economic relationship must be “fair” to American workers and people. This reflects Washington’s “America First” policy approach even as trade talks near completion.
The remarks come amid broader debate in India over its global ties with the West, especially around energy policy. Recently, the US Treasury Department issued a temporary waiver allowing Indian refiners to buy Russian oil amid disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict, a move that has stirred political reaction at home.
