Jaishankar Makes Big Statement About Trump’s Foreign Policy: ‘No US President Has…’

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday said that US President Donald Trump’s approach to foreign policy, including trade, is marked by an unusually public style. He suggested that India’s purchase of Russian oil was not discussed before Trump’s announcement to raise tariffs on India to 50 percent. The minister was speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum 2025, where he drew attention to the distinctive manner in which the Trump administration conducts international affairs.

What S. Jaishankar Said About Donald Trump

“We’ve not had a US President who’s conducted foreign policy as publicly as the current one. That itself is a departure that’s not limited to India,” Jaishankar said.

He further pointed out that Trump’s style is not limited to external affairs alone.

“President Trump’s way of dealing with the world, even dealing with his own country, is a very major departure from the traditional orthodox manner of doing so,” he added.

Also Read: Why Trump Chose Sergio Gor As US Ambassador To India Despite His Lack Of Experience

Commenting on the tariff issue, the minister noted that Trump has been using tariffs in new ways that go beyond trade policy.

“The fact that a lot of this is said in public. Often, the first pronouncement in public is even more unusual. This is a situation which the entire world is facing,” Jaishankar observed, stressing that statements are often made publicly before being communicated to the concerned country.

EAM Jaishankar Highlights Three Issues Between India & US Under Trump

Jaishankar underlined three key issues in the India-US dynamic under Trump’s presidency.

Trade Negotiations

He emphasized that trade talks remain ongoing despite challenges.

“Negotiations (India-US trade negotiations) are still going on. But the bottom line is we have some red lines. Negotiations are still going on in the sense that nobody said the negotiations are off. People do talk to each other. It’s not like there’s a ‘kutti’ there… Where we are concerned, the red lines are primarily the interests of our farmers and, to some extent, of our small producers,” the minister said.

Oil Purchases from Russia

Addressing concerns about India’s oil imports from Russia, Jaishankar noted that similar scrutiny has not been applied to other major buyers.

“The same arguments which are being used to target India have not been applied to the largest oil importer – China – and the largest energy importer, which is the European Union,” he said.

He also cited US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s remarks on India’s oil imports, clarifying, “if the argument is percentage of increase – yes, some countries have not increased their percentage because they have gone and bought oil from Iran, to which the Americans also have an objection.”

The minister recalled that during the Biden administration, India’s dealings on Russian oil were openly discussed.

“They knew about our oil trade through a series of explicit conversations,” he said, adding that these exchanges eventually led to the introduction of a price cap.

Mediation with Pakistan

On the subject of mediation, Jaishankar reiterated India’s firm stance against third-party involvement in its bilateral matters.

“The Indian government does not accept any external mediation, especially when it comes to its relationship with Pakistan,” he stated.

Also Read: Trump Names Sergio Gor As Envoy To India – But His Dual Role Revives The India-Pakistan Hyphenation, Experts Say