There will be give and take: EAM Jaishankar on the impact of Trump 2.0 on business | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Allaying concerns over the likely impact of the incoming Trump administration on business relations, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that while there will always be give and take between major economies, strategic convergence between the two countries has become deeper, creating an environment for further deepening cooperation.
The minister said the arrival of the second Trump administration is an important consideration in business circles and the only safe prediction, he added, is a certain degree of unpredictability.
“Several countries have their own experiences with the first government and would probably draw on that to approach the second. As for India, I can confidently say that strategic convergence with the United States has only deepened over time. has created a greater environment in which more opportunities for collaboration can be explored,” the minister said at the CII partnership summit.
“Of course, there will always be some give and take between two major economies. If we look at economic or technological domains, the case for trusted and reliable partnerships has actually increased in recent years,” he added.
According to the minister, a large part of what lies ahead lies in shaping conditions for engagement that are perceived as mutually beneficial. “And in that regard, the more India can bring to the table, the stronger our appeal,” he said.
Without mentioning China by name, Jaishankar reiterated India’s position that national security filters should be followed when it comes to economic decisions, including those related to investments. “This is the trend around the world and we would ignore it at our peril,” he said, adding that the world is in an era of leverage, if not weaponization.
Citing US-China friction and the conflict in Ukraine, the minister said the South is also bearing the brunt of inflation, debt, currency shortages and trade volatility. “In short, the world looks difficult. And difficult situations call for more friends and partners,” he said.
While speaking about the changes witnessed in the neighborhood recently, Jaishankar said economies and societies are more closely linked than ever before and moving away from natural cooperation comes at a cost.
“During periods of stress – the aftermath of Covid, the aftermath of Ukraine or financial difficulties – we have united for our collective benefit. Sometimes political movements try to distance themselves or even disrupt them. It is clear that challenges such as terrorism cannot be overlooked. But the truth is that otherwise, deviating from natural cooperation comes at a cost. Overall, that realization is now more deeply felt,” he said.