NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said countries are diversifying their partnerships as changing U.S. policies, competition with China and trade disputes reshape the international order.
Speaking at Asia Society in New York on Sept. 28, Jaishankar described a shift toward a multipolar world, where several powers exert influence. He discussed India’s foreign policy with Daniel Russel, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute.
Jaishankar said governments increasingly want to reduce risks, find new partners and strengthen existing relationships. While Washington and Beijing may reach agreements in some areas, their rivalry limits their ability to determine outcomes for other countries.
“The rest of the world is busy making its arrangements,” he said.
The minister said intense competition now coexists with deep economic interdependence. Countries depend on one another for trade, technology and finance, but governments increasingly use those connections to exert pressure. He identified geography, financial systems, travel and market access as potential sources of leverage.
“Diplomacy has become an extreme sport,” Jaishankar said, arguing that governments must respond quickly to immediate threats while maintaining patience during negotiations.
Jaishankar also rejected the view that the United States alone had weakened international trade rules. He said departures from market principles had eroded those assumptions before Washington began pursuing its current approach to bilateral trade deals.
For India, he described a “portfolio management” approach to relations with the United States, Europe, Japan, China, Russia, the Gulf, Southeast Asia and the Global South.
He said dependable partners and predictable conditions remain important, even when a particular agreement offers smaller immediate gains. Despite the uncertainty, he expressed confidence that countries could negotiate new arrangements.
