Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar joined US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other foreign delegates at the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington on Thursday to chalk out plans to reduce China’s dominance in the sector. India underlined the challenges of “excessive concentration” and the importance of de-risking supply chains through structured international cooperation, the minister said.

He also highlighted India’s efforts towards greater resilience through initiatives including National Critical Minerals Mission, Rare Earth Corridors and responsible commerce and conveyed support to the FORGE initiative on critical minerals.

The US hosted the inaugural forum bringing together delegations from over 50 countries to advance collaboration on securing and diversifying global critical mineral supply chains. Rubio said the initiative is meant to create a reliable global supply chains in critical minerals and processed and finished materials.

“Some countries have a number of critical minerals that they have available to them in terms of mining, but just haven’t been able to do it because a foreign competitor will come in, they’ll gut the price, they’ll undercut it through state subsidies and unfair practices, and so it becomes economically unviable to be able to explore for critical minerals,” he said, in a tacit reference to China’s policies.

Beijing controls 95% of critical minerals production and refining capacity in the world. That level of control is being used as a tool of leverage in geopolitics and also lends itself to disruptions like a pandemic or political instability, Rubio said.

China has used rare earths and permanent magnets export curbs during trade negotiations with the US. These minerals and technologies are important for manufacturing goods like solar panels, mobile phones and electric vehicle batteries.

US Vice President JD Vance invited allies and partners to work together to reshape the global critical minerals market, highlighting its role in modern economies. 

ALSO READ: India, Canada to Anchor Trade in Energy, Critical Minerals

File photo of U.S. President Donald Trump with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The world is seeking a stable and predictable environment for trade and economic practices should be fair, transparent and to everyone’s benefit, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Monday (September 8, 2025), against the backdrop of increasing global concerns over Washington’s tariff tussle.

In an address at a virtual BRICS summit, the External Affairs Minister said India strongly believes that the international trading system’s foundational principles of non-discriminatory and rules-based norms must be protected and that there is a need to create more resilient and reliable supply chains.

Mr. Jaishankar represented Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the summit that saw participation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other leaders of the grouping.

Also Read | Russia, China oppose ‘discriminatory sanctions’ against BRICS countries, says Vladimir Putin

It was convened by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to discuss trade disruptions triggered by U.S.’s policies on trade and tariff.

The U.S. slapped 50% tariffs on Brazilian exports like in the case of India.

Mr. Jaishankar’s participation at the summit in place of PM Modi is seen as part of New Delhi’s “balancing act” with the Trump administration increasingly getting suspicious about the BRICS.

EXPLAINED | Is a shift underway in India’s foreign policy?

In his remarks, Mr. Jaishankar called for urgent resolution to ongoing conflicts, adding the Global South has experienced a deterioration in its food, energy and fertilizer security. However, the major focus of his speech was on trade.

“The world as a collective is seeking a stable and predictable environment for trade and investment. At the same time, it is imperative that economic practices are fair, transparent and to everyone’s benefit,” he said.

“When there are multiple disruptions, our objective should be to proof it against such shocks. That means creating more resilient, reliable, redundant and shorter supply chains,” he said.

Also Read | U.S. has ‘lost’ India, Russia to ‘darkest’ China: Trump

Mr. Jaishankar said the world requires “constructive and cooperative” approaches to promote trade that is sustainable.

“Increasing barriers and complicating transactions will not help. Neither would the linking of trade measures to non-trade matters,” he said.

The External Affairs Minister said BRICS itself can set an example by reviewing trade flows among its member states.

“Where India is concerned, some of our biggest deficits are with BRICS partners and we have been pressing for expeditious solutions. We hope that this realisation will be part of the takeaways from today’s meeting,” he said.

The remarks assumed significance as they came amid India’s ballooning trade deficit with China.

:The international trading system is based on the foundational principles of open, fair, transparent, non-discriminatory, inclusive, equitable and a rules-based approach with special and differential treatment for developing countries,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

“India strongly believes that this should be protected and nurtured,” he said.

The External Affairs Minister also said that the “state of the world today is a cause for genuine concern”.

He listed devastating impact of COVID-19, major conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and volatility in trade and investment flows as well as extreme climate events as some of the major challenges facing the globe in the last few years.

“In the face of these challenges, the multilateral system appears to be failing the world. That so many serious stresses are being left unaddressed is understandably having consequences for the global order itself,” he said.

“It is this cumulative concern that BRICS is now discussing,” he added.

Mr. Jaishankar also said that the world is seeking an urgent resolution of ongoing conflicts.

“The Global South has experienced a deterioration in its food, energy and fertilizer security. Where shipping is targeted, not just trade but livelihoods also suffer,” he said.

“Selective protection cannot be a global answer. An early end to the hostilities and undertaking diplomacy to ensure a durable solution is the obvious pathway before us,” he said.

The External Affairs Minister argued that the working of international organisations in the last few years has witnessed “major shortfalls” in many areas.

“On key issues, we have unfortunately seen that gridlocks have undermined the search for common ground. These experiences have only made the case for reformed multilateralism generally, and that of the United Nations and its Security Council specifically, more urgent,” he said.

“The BRICS have taken a positive view of this need for reform and we expect that it would collectively become a strong voice for much awaited change,” he said.

Mr. Jaishankar also underlined the need for not losing sight of bigger concerns, especially climate change.

“Sadly, both climate action and climate justice are currently slipping in global priorities. We need new thinking and initiatives as well,” he said.

Published – September 08, 2025 10:47 pm IST

Canberra:

The United States is likely to become more isolationist regardless of who becomes its next president, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.

Speaking at an event in Canberra as Americans were still casting votes, Jaishankar said the election was unlikely to reverse what he called he called a long-term trend in US policy.

“Probably starting from (President Barack) Obama the US has become much more cautious about its global commitments,” he said, pointing to a US reluctance to deploy troops and its withdrawal from Afghanistan under President Joe Biden.

“President Trump may be more articulate and expressive in that regard,” he said during a panel discussion with the foreign ministers of Australia and New Zealand.

But, he added, “it’s important to look at the US more nationally than purely in terms of the ideology of the administration of the day.”

“If we are truly analysing them, I think we have to prepare for a world where actually the kind of dominance and generosity which the US had in the early days may not continue.”

That said, Jaishankar said on Tuesday that India’s relationship with the United States would only grow in the future.

All three foreign ministers said their nations needed to step in to create the global environment they wanted.

“We all have an interest today in creating some kind of collaborative consensual arrangement.” Jaishankar said.

“There is more protectionism,” said New Zealand’s Winston Peters. “The world we were once trying to build on is changing, and we’ll have to react and change with it.”

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Canberra:

The United States is likely to become more isolationist regardless of who becomes its next president, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.

Speaking at an event in Canberra as Americans were still casting votes, Jaishankar said the election was unlikely to reverse what he called he called a long-term trend in US policy.

“Probably starting from (President Barack) Obama the US has become much more cautious about its global commitments,” he said, pointing to a US reluctance to deploy troops and its withdrawal from Afghanistan under President Joe Biden.

“President Trump may be more articulate and expressive in that regard,” he said during a panel discussion with the foreign ministers of Australia and New Zealand.

But, he added, “it’s important to look at the US more nationally than purely in terms of the ideology of the administration of the day.”

“If we are truly analysing them, I think we have to prepare for a world where actually the kind of dominance and generosity which the US had in the early days may not continue.”

That said, Jaishankar said on Tuesday that India’s relationship with the United States would only grow in the future.

All three foreign ministers said their nations needed to step in to create the global environment they wanted.

“We all have an interest today in creating some kind of collaborative consensual arrangement.” Jaishankar said.

“There is more protectionism,” said New Zealand’s Winston Peters. “The world we were once trying to build on is changing, and we’ll have to react and change with it.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised the need for territorial integrity and cooperation based on mutual respect, in his remarks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Pakistan on Wednesday.

In the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan since Sushma Swaraj’s 2015 tour, Jaishankar called terrorism, extremism and separatism “three evils”. He added that cooperation between countries is built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas.

Jaishankar mentioned the Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah and Russia-Ukraine conflicts, along with the Covid pandemic, to state that the summit comes at a “difficult time in world affairs”. “Disruptions of various kinds – ranging from extreme climate events to supply chain uncertainties and financial volatility – impact growth and development. Debt is a serious concern, even as the world falls behind in achieving Sustainable Development targets. Technology holds great promise, as well as raising a new host of concerns. How should the members of the SCO respond to these challenges?” he said.

The EAM also stressed the need for multi-faceted regional cooperation, to drive growth and conflict prevention. “Activities across borders characterised by terrorism and extremism are unlikely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity,” Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar arrived on Tuesday for his two-day Pakistan visit at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan Airbase, where he was welcomed by Ilyas Mehmood Nizami, Director General (South Asia) of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Children dressed in traditional attire presented him with flower bouquets. Later, he had a brief interaction with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today at an official dinner held for all the summit attendees.

The two-day meeting of SCO CHG, the second highest forum within the SCO, is being chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Sharif as the current chair of the Council. The meeting’s focus is on the trade and economic agenda of the organisation.

Mr Sharif, meanwhile, called for the expansion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to enhance regional cooperation. “Flagship projects like the Belt and Road Initiative of President Xi Jinping…should be expanded focusing on developing road, rail and digital infrastructure that enhances integration and cooperation across our region,” Sharif said in his speech as the chair of the meeting.

The BRI is a $1 trillion plan for global infrastructure and energy networks that China launched a decade ago to connect Asia with Africa and Europe through land and maritime routes. Sharif said CPEC would also help enhance cooperation, adding that 40 percent of the world’s population lived in SCO’s 10 full member states.

Mr Sharif also called on the leaders to use the SCO meeting to “exchange ideas, share best practices and forge concrete action plans that will benefit our economies and societies”. He expressed his hope for “wonderful outcomes that will emerge from our in-depth deliberations”. “Our collaboration, joint teamwork expands academic and tourism linkages, poverty alleviation, empowerment of women and youth across the SCO region are reflection and commitment of our determination to promote prosperity through unity,” he said.

The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus — with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”. The group claims to represent 40% of the world’s population and about 30 percent of its GDP. Pakistan became a full member of the SCO at its 2017 summit in Kazakhstan.

– With inputs from agencies

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival on an official visit to Singapore, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Tuesday (September 3, 2024) said the time is ripe for the two countries to take their bilateral relationship to the next level.

“Given the transformation underway in India and the changes in the world, they need to become more contemporary. In many ways, that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen to visit Singapore so early in his third term,” The Straits Times quoted Mr. Jaishankar as saying in an interview.

He said that India and Singapore’s bilateral ties “have been extremely strong in the last two decades”.

Just like Singapore had an opportunity in 1992 and then again in 2006, it should seize the moment and fully utilise the new landscape, the Minister said.

“Sometimes, to be honest, I feel that impressions at your end are somewhat dated,” Mr. Jaishankar pointed out.

“In India, we are using the achievements of the last decade as the springboard to accelerate national growth and modernisation,” the Minister said.

Beyond the bilateral ties, there is also the issue of closer collaboration in a volatile and uncertain world. “In this regard, we must recognise that ours is a partnership based on a high degree of trust and understanding,” the Minister said.

“These characteristics enable us to share assessments and explore our convergences,” he added.

The Prime Minister has always had a special sentiment for Singapore and that leadership connect will matter more than ever before, underscored Mr. Jaishankar who has served as India’s High Commissioner to Singapore and has a very good understanding of the city-state.

Responding to a question as to where India would like to take the bilateral relationship, the Minister said, “We have come a long way since then. As I pointed out, the time is ripe to move to the next level of our ties, reflecting current realities in both countries, as well as the state of the world.” Where Singapore’s approach to India is concerned, it could start with the appreciation of the last decade of growth, recovery from Covid and the country’s rapid digitalisation, while also taking into account the advances in infrastructure, the focus on manufacturing and the availability of talent, the Minister said.

These issues were also discussed at the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable last week — a preparatory to PM Modi’s visit to the city-state.

“I would particularly single out those technologies promising for the future such as semiconductors, green technologies and electric mobility. We also need to collaboratively think about the future of connectivity and energy flows,” Mr. Jaishankar stressed.

The Minister also drew on the Covid experience to flag India’s relevance to food and health security, saying: “As regards the global scenario, we have built on the ‘Act East’ policy to now have a full-fledged Indo-Pacific commitment.” Mr. Jaishankar said there is a new equilibrium in the making and India will certainly play its part. “This is very much in the interest of Singapore and ASEAN.” “In an era where we will witness deficits in regard to global commons, our relationship can make a bigger difference,” he said.

The Minister also commented on a perception that India’s principal focus in its extended neighbourhood is now the Gulf, not ASEAN. “I would not take an ‘either-or’ approach. Certainly, in the last decade, India’s ties with Gulf nations have really taken off.” “Earlier governments used to view them more narrowly from the perspective of trade, energy and diaspora. In contrast, the Modi government’s policies have extended to investments, technology, security and connectivity,” he pointed out.

“We definitely feel that the contributions of our community are more strongly recognised [in the Gulf]. Both the economic and demographic complementarities are today coming into much greater play.

“But because of this, I would not draw any conclusions in regard to Asean. In fact, our ties have deepened as well in this very period.” Mr. Jaishankar underscored the fact that India — the most populous country and currently the fifth-largest economy — will necessarily have multi-directional engagements. “The world is not a zero-sum game for us.” The Minister also elaborated on Singapore being once the springboard of India’s ‘Look East’ policy.

“Obviously, Singapore, which was at the core of our ‘Look East’ policy, has an equally central role in the ‘Act East’ policy as well. If you look at the new domains that reflect this evolution, Singapore’s partnership in security, connectivity, technology and sustainability is evident.” The ‘Act East’ policy is certainly very active for a variety of reasons, he stressed, adding that Southeast Asia itself has much-untapped potential and its demographics and growth prospects make it a long-term partner.

“Imagine for example what a change the Trilateral Highway [plan to connect India with Myanmar and Thailand] can make when completed,” he pointed out.

“It is also a relationship which is indispensable for India’s Indo-Pacific engagement. I would confidently predict a bright future.

PM Modi will travel to Singapore on Wednesday (September 4, 2024).

He said he looked forward to meeting President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in Singapore.

PM Modi will also meet leaders of Singapore’s business community.

President of Maldivian Democratic Party Abdulla Shahid. File
| Photo Credit: AP

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has welcomed President Mohammad Muizzu-led government’s “sudden recalibration” of its India policy and said Male has always been confident that India will always be the first responder any time the Maldives “dials an international 911″.

Abdulla Shahid, president of the main Opposition party, the MDP, made the remarks after he met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Male on Saturday (August 10, 2024).

The MDP president said that his party “calls on the Muizzu government to issue a public apology for the actions, lies and irresponsible comments from its officials which have resulted in significant damage to the Maldives’ foreign and economic outlook”. Mr. Jaishankar is on a three-day official visit to the Maldives to reset the bilateral relationship, the first high-level trip from India after the archipelago nation’s pro-China President Muizzu assumed office last year.

“Great pleasure to warmly welcome and meet Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar to the Maldives with my colleagues from @MDPSecretariat,” Mr. Shahid, the former foreign minister, said in a statement posted on X late Saturday (August 10, 2024) night.

“The Maldives has always been confident that India will always be the first responder any time the Maldives ‘dials an international 911’,” he said.

He said the “current government’s initial stoking of anti-India sentiments through aggressive slogans, mockery and the branding of a time-tested friend and development partner as a regional bully, has caused a decline in the Maldives’ international standing, economic loss, and many other unnecessary difficulties, and challenges.” “With this in mind, the MDP welcomes the sudden recalibration of the Maldives-India policy of President Muizzu’s government, from its previous India Out policy,” Mr. Shahid said.

India’s relationship with the Maldives has come under severe strain since Mr. Muizzu took charge as the President late last year.

Within hours of his oath, he had demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel manning three aviation platforms gifted by India to the Maldives. After talks between the two countries, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilians.

On Saturday (August 10, 2024), Mr. Muizzu described India as “one of the closest allies” and reaffirmed his administration’s full commitment to strengthening the historic and close connections between the two countries.

“The MDP hopes that this shift will not be temporary or superficial, but consistent and meaningful in the best interests of the people of the Maldives,” Mr. Shahid said.

In a separate statement, the MDP welcomed Mr. Jaishankar’s visit to the Maldives.

“The Maldives-India relationship has always been based on the principles of mutual respect, respect for international law, territorial integrity, a common desire for regional security, and an open and peaceful Indian Ocean,” it said.

The MDP thanked India for its steadfast support of the people of the Maldives.

“The MDP welcomes the exchange of notes during this visit, to train a further 1000 civil service officers – a key human resource programme initiated during (former) President (Ibrahim Mohamed) Solih’s government.”

“The MDP also welcomes the signing of the MoU between the Ministry of Economic Development and the National Payments Corporation of India [NPCI], on enhancing and expanding digital and integrated payment systems – another MoU that was discussed and finalised during President Solih’s administration,” it said.

“The MDP welcomes with gratitude to India, the inauguration and handover of six High Impact Community Development Projects, implemented with grant assistance from the Government of India, and signed and implemented during President Solih’s administration,” the statement said.

It said the High Impact Community Development Project scheme is a highly successful and beneficial grant assistance scheme initialised in 2019.

“The Party further welcomes the handover of water and sewerage projects in 28 islands financed through the EXIM Bank of India,” the statement said.

It said these projects were undertaken through the ₹800 million Line of Credit extended by the Government of India, during the first state visit of former President Mr. Solih to India, in December 2018, and inaugurated during his administration.

The Maldives is one of India’s key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and the overall bilateral ties, including in the areas of defence and security, witnessed an upward trajectory under the previous government led by Mr. Solih.

The week gone by has been a busy period for India in the Indo-Pacific. India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Laos and the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Japan. Jaishankar’s visit to Laos also featured a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, following their last meeting at Astana earlier this year. The context for Jaishankar’s visit was set by India’s enduring pushback against China in key arenas of its interest. Arguably, China remains the pre-eminent concern for India’s national security planners. India’s China challenge is multipronged, with unresolved border conflict along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), as well as Beijing’s expanding footprint in the Indian Ocean. China’s more recent overtures in the Indo-Pacific, especially in the South China Sea region, have also compelled India’s Quad partners and several Southeast Asian countries to intensify measures to counterbalance Beijing. Thus, the China question was a natural focal point for Jaishankar during both Laos and Japan visits.

China, A Critical Cog In The Quad

At the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting, the four member countries of the grouping released a joint statement which amply addressed their common concerns with regard to China’s belligerent posturing in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad members have long resisted the notion that the formulation of the grouping is directed at countering Beijing, instead emphasising that it seeks to harness the emerging opportunities of collective cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. There is no denying, however, that the China factor is a critical cog in the Quad wheel. The latest joint statement released by the Quad countries evidently suggests that concerns regarding China’s overtures in the Indo-Pacific appear to be taking centre-stage in the thinking of the grouping. The joint statement expressed concerns over the evolving situation in the East and South China Seas, alluding to China’s unilateral actions by use of force and coercion. The statement decried, without naming, Beijing’s use of coast guard and maritime militia in the South China Sea attributing it to ‘dangerous manoeuvres’ in the region. 

Jaishankar’s individual remarks about the state of India-China relations have further garnered attention. Upon being questioned about India’s relations with China, Jaishankar unequivocally stated that the bilateral ties between the two neighbours are ‘not doing very well’. This admission appears to present continuity in India’s enduring pushback against China in light of border skirmishes and conflict since 2020. However, in the Indo-Pacific context, a shift appears to be underway in India’s approach towards China. In the past, India’s response to China’s aggressive overtures in the Indo-Pacific had remained relatively subdued. In its stead, Jaishankar’s recent comments at the Quad summit and the joint statement demonstrate India’s willingness to push back against China in the Indo-Pacific context as well. 

An Eye On Distant Seas

The question arises, what explains India’s pushback against China’s unilateral actions in the South China Sea? Even though the South China Sea geography does not fall under India’s primary maritime area of interest, it remains vital for India’s myriad strategic interests, such as the protection of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs), energy security, etc. Moreover, India’s sustained advocacy for a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based order at sea, emphasising the need for adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), makes it imperative for New Delhi to respond critically against Chinese attempts to change the status quo in the region.

Within the wider Indo-Pacific, China’s continued attempts to foray into the Indian Ocean region, more recently by way of sending survey and surveillance vessels into the region, have prompted an enduring security dilemma in New Delhi, of People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) imminent launch of carrier task force patrols in the Indian Ocean by 2025. Thus, upping the ante against China in the Indo-Pacific appears to be a logical progression in India’s continued efforts to counter Beijing’s advances in geographies of India’s core interests at sea. 

India’s Message

Notably, Jaishankar has displayed nuance and complex thinking in India’s plans to counter the multipronged challenge that China poses. While on the Indo-Pacific front, India has sought to actively engage in minilateral groupings to counter China, upon being asked if New Delhi would encourage third-party intervention for the resolution of the India-China territorial border conflict along the LAC, Jaishankar reiterated that only bilateral engagement based on ‘mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual sensitivity’ can restore normalcy.

The message is very clear: New Delhi will not relent in pressing ahead with its pushback against Beijing even as the door is open for China to recalibrate its anti-India positioning.

(Harsh V Pant is Vice President for Studies at ORF. Sayantan Haldar works with the Maritime Initiative at ORF)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author