HTLS 2025: S Jaishankar stresses India's 'freedom of choice' in foreign relations
"For any country to expect to have a veto on how we develop our relationships with others, is not fair,” S Jaishankar said at Hindustan Times Leadership Summit
Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar said on Saturday that India has “freedom of choice” in its relationships, while stressing the doctrine of “strategic autonomy”.
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“Everybody knows that India has relations with all the major countries of the world. And for any country to expect to have a veto on how we develop our relationships with others, is not fair,” Jaishankar said, speaking at the 23rd Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi.
He was asked about India's currently trade tensions with Donald Trump's US administration, and the recent India visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin at such a time.
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“We have always made it clear that we have the freedom of choice; we have the strategic autonomy,” he said, in conversation with NDTV CEO and Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal.
Putin's visit, Jaishankar said, “should not and will not” complicate ties with Washington.
On the potential trade deal between the US and India, EAM Jaishankar said there are chances it happens “soon,” but did not specify a timeline.
Talks are currently ongoing after a break in August following Trump's move to impose a massive 50% tariff rate on India, half of that as “penalty” for India's oil purchases from Russia.
Jaishankar said trade negotiations with the US need to be “extremely judicious”. It needs to taken into consideration what's best for the Indian consumer, farmers, the middle class, thus the country, he added.
As for the reset of ties with China, Jaishankar noted that some of the issues with Beijing “predated Galwan”, referring to the border clash in 2020.
He brought up the meeting in Kazan, Russia, between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in October 2024. "Since then, by and large, border areas have remained stable… Peace and tranquility in border areas is a key requisite to good relationships,” he further said.
After the US tariffs kicked in, India-China ties saw a significant thaw as PM Modi visited China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin in September 2025. Direct flights have since resumed, among other such steps.
