Canberra, Nov 6: India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar highlighted on Wednesday that the United States is likely to adopt a more isolationist approach, regardless of the outcome of its ongoing presidential election. Speaking at an event in Canberra, EAM Jaishankar noted that this trend in U.S. policy is rooted in a gradual shift that has been building over several administrations.
Jaishankar stated that this shift began as early as the Obama era, marked by a growing caution in the U.S. toward extensive global engagements, including a reluctance to deploy troops abroad. He cited the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan under President Biden as a recent example of this trend.
While noting that former President Trump was particularly vocal about U.S. disengagement, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of viewing U.S. policy beyond any specific administration’s ideology. “We must prepare for a world where the level of dominance and generosity the U.S. once displayed may not be sustainable,” he remarked.
Jaishankar, along with the Foreign Ministers of Australia and New Zealand, underscored the need for allied nations to collaborate in shaping a global environment conducive to shared interests. “We all have an interest today in creating a collaborative, consensual framework,” Jaishankar added, as New Zealand’s Winston Peters echoed similar sentiments on adapting to shifting global dynamics.
During a joint press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Jaishankar also credited former U.S. President Trump with reinvigorating the QUAD alliance in 2017, a significant boost for Indo-Pacific cooperation. Addressing questions on India-U.S. relations, Jaishankar expressed confidence that the ties would strengthen irrespective of the election results. “We’ve seen steady progress in our relationship with the U.S. over the last five presidencies, and we expect that to continue,” he affirmed.
