Published: 12:35 AM, 15 October 2026
India's top diplomat encouraged by US talks, defends Russia ties
India's top diplomat called for a realistic approach in dealing with the US as the world's biggest economy recalibrates its approach to the world, while also defending New Delhi's relationship with its long-time partner Russia.
"The reality is the United States has repositioned itself. It's changed the manner in which it engages the world," External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Oct 13 during a fireside chat with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait, Bloomberg reports.
"So I think every country, in a way, has to recalculate and reset its relationship with the United States."
India is among a long list of countries whose relationship with the US has been upended since the return of President Donald Trump to the White House in 2025.
After years of deepening ties, Trump has slapped new tariffs on India and drawn closer to its chief rival Pakistan, while India's continued purchases of Russian energy have created new friction.
Jaishankar said he was encouraged by progress in trade talks between India and the US despite recent indications of an impasse, adding that the two sides were "heading toward a landing point" after more than a year of negotiations.
"It's heading in the right direction," he said. "We're very encouraged by it."
Jaishankar, a career diplomat who had previously served as India's ambassador to China and then later the US, offered a realistic assessment of Washington's new approach to the world.
Trump's tariffs reflected a US push to reindustrialise and "reset the terms of access to its economy," he said.
"Every significant economy is getting into a negotiation with the United States on this issue," he said. "We are not alone on this. In our case, we are pretty far advanced in that process of negotiation."
Jaishankar, 71, also defended India's longstanding relationship with its Cold War partner Russia, saying it was in the world's interest that Moscow has diplomatic options, including forging closer ties with China.
"I do believe it's in our interest, and I believe in the world's interest, that Russia has multiple choices, and that Russia has other relationships in Europe, in Asia," he said. "We are a natural option in that regard."
On India's relationship with China, Jaishankar touted the "peace and tranquility" that has settled along the 3,488km disputed border after brutal clashes in 2020 left soldiers dead on both sides.
Progress was being made on border talks, and "the relationship commensurately has moved forward," Jaishankar said.
There's an "active conversation" over whether the two sides should resolve the disputed boundary in parts or "all at one go," he said.
He stressed that New Delhi was not making a final boundary settlement a precondition for doing business with Beijing, but said maintaining peace and tranquility along the frontier was essential for a normal relationship.
Economic ties, meanwhile, remain both a source of interdependence and friction.
China is one of India's biggest trading partners, but New Delhi has raised concerns about trade imbalances, market access and dependence on Chinese supply chains.
"We do believe today that we are not getting a level playing field in China," Jaishankar said.
