WASHINGTON, D.C., July 1 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday emphasized the importance of establishing a stable and balanced relationship with China that reflects India’s national interests. Speaking during a fireside chat with Newsweek, Jaishankar addressed India’s strategic outlook in the Indo-Pacific amid rising tensions between the United States and China.
Jaishankar acknowledged that the evolving nature of U.S.-China relations—marked by increasing competition—has implications for India, which must navigate the shifting geopolitical dynamics with strategic clarity.
“There are certain realities of the landscape,” he said. “One of them is that the relationship between the U.S. and China is not what it used to be. It has acquired a much sharper competitive edge… There’ll be an element of tactics to it. There’s a larger strategic view that they have of each other that we would look, quite honestly, to see in what way our interests are furthered in this landscape.”
The minister stressed that India seeks to create a fair “equilibrium” in its relationship with China, while simultaneously strengthening convergences with the United States to maximize mutual benefit. “In many ways, we have very strong convergences with the United States. At the same time, we are China’s largest neighbor… We want stable relations with China. They’re a very large trade partner as well—very imbalanced trade, but still a very large trade account,” Jaishankar noted. “To steady the China relationship, [we must] create an equilibrium that is fair to us. At the same time, how do you work the convergences with the United States and get the most out of it? That’s frankly the way we would approach it.”
India-China relations have shown signs of normalization since an agreement was reached in October last year over patrolling arrangements in the Depsang Plains and Demchok—two friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The agreement followed earlier disengagement efforts at other contested points in eastern Ladakh, facilitated through diplomatic and military channels.
Turning to India’s role in the Indo-Pacific, Jaishankar emphasized the strategic value of the Quad alliance—a partnership among India, the U.S., Japan, and Australia—in promoting regional stability and prosperity. He noted that the first international meeting of the Trump 2.0 administration was a Quad meeting, underscoring the group’s increasing prominence.
“The Quad is a very interesting mechanism,” Jaishankar said. “Partly because it was an international commitment which resurfaced during President Trump’s first administration. There’s been a lot of progress since 2017 when it was restarted, and again, it was interesting that the first international meeting of the Trump 2.0 administration started with a Quad meeting.”
Jaishankar highlighted that the Quad is not solely focused on countering China’s influence, but rather addresses a broad set of issues, including maritime safety, connectivity, technology cooperation, pandemic preparedness, and education.
“There are a lot of issues that we need to discuss in the Indo-Pacific—issues about maritime safety and security, issues about connectivity, technology, pandemic preparedness, and education,” he said. “You have four countries—four corners of the Indo-Pacific—who have decided that they have a shared interest in creating a stable, more prosperous Indo-Pacific and are willing to work on a very practical basis. It’s a kind of equal arrangement where everybody pays their fair share as you go along.”
The Quad, originally formed in the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, has evolved into a strategic partnership committed to fostering an open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific. Jaishankar’s remarks reaffirm India’s commitment to regional cooperation while maintaining a balanced and autonomous approach to great power competition. (ANI)
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