New Delhi— External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Friday that India is prepared to approach trade negotiations with the United States with a heightened sense of urgency, as the Trump administration continues to reshape America’s global engagement strategy.
Delivering the keynote address at the Carnegie Global Technology Summit, Jaishankar acknowledged that upcoming trade negotiations would be challenging due to the ambitious nature of the U.S. and a significantly altered global landscape.
“This time around, we are certainly geared up for a very high degree of urgency… we see a window,” he said. “Our trade deals are really challenging. And when it comes to trade, we have a lot to do with each other. These are people who are very much on top of their game and very ambitious about what they want to achieve.”
The minister emphasized that mutual perceptions play a key role in diplomacy.
“We did four years of talking during the first Trump administration. They have their view of us, and frankly, we have our view of them,” he said.
Jaishankar noted that the United States has fundamentally altered its approach to global engagement, with significant implications across all domains—particularly in technology.
“It will be profound not just because the U.S. is the largest economy and a primary driver of global tech advancement, but also because it’s now evident that technology plays a central role in making America great again. There’s a connection between MAGA and tech that perhaps wasn’t so clear between 2016 and 2020,” he explained.
He also highlighted the shifting global power balance, especially with China’s increasing geopolitical influence.
“The changes in the U.S. are one big shift over the past year. But there’s another shift—China’s advancement,” he said. “The U.S.-China dynamics are shaped not just by trade, but by technology, and China’s decisions are as consequential as America’s.”
Discussing the evolving geopolitical scenario, Jaishankar pointed out that Europe, once in a favorable strategic position balancing ties with the U.S., Russia, and China, now faces mounting challenges.
“Five years ago, Europe arguably had the best geopolitical setup, having struck an ideal triangulation between the U.S., Russia, and China. Today, every side of that triangle is under stress,” he noted.
He also recognized the efforts of countries like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan to assert themselves geopolitically through technological innovation.
In that context, Jaishankar said India is making significant strides in building its Digital Public Infrastructure and prioritizing semiconductor development—an area that had seen limited focus for decades.
He concluded by urging experts at the summit to examine India’s technological growth and digital innovation through a positive lens. (Source: IANS)
