External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India will determine its global rise based on its own national capabilities and priorities on Saturday after rejecting comments made by a senior U.S. official that indicated America would do its best to prevent India from becoming an economic competitor, comparable to its competitor-China.
At the Raisina Dialogue, Jaishankar stated that the future of India is based primarily on India’s internal strength — not the strategic calculations of other nations.
“The rise of India is going to be determined by India. It is going to be determined by our ability, not by the misfortune of others,” he declared.
These statements followed the comments made by Christopher Landau in which he indicated that the U.S. will have a different approach with India than it did with China.
US remarks spark debate over economic competition
Landau has pointed out that the U.S. will not implement policies that would unintentionally allow India to become a direct competitor and referenced the relationship the United States had with China in earlier years.
“We are not going to repeat the mistakes that we made with China,” Landau stated, claiming, “We want to ensure that our actions will not benefit our employees and our communities.”
India’s growth will largely depend on our internal decisions rather than any external restrictions, according to Jaishankar.
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India highlights strategic role in the Indian Ocean
Jaishankar mentioned the strategic nature of our geographic position as it relates the countries surrounding the Indian Ocean.
He stated that to develop any kind of identity or sentiment regarding the Indian Ocean, cooperation amongst its member countries has to continue to be supported and backed up by sustained investments of resources, long-term commitments and other forms of practical initiatives.
Jaishankar also said that since the Indian Ocean itself serves as a representation of India’s vital role for enhancing connectivity in the region, India will have an important place within the development of an Indian Ocean sentiment.
“As I mentioned before, the Indian Ocean is the only ocean on this planet named after a country; and that country is located smack dab in the center of the Indian Ocean.”
Jaishankar noted that the growth of our economy will also benefit other nations in the Indian Ocean, as well as provide benefits for India’s neighbors and regional partners.
Energy policy debate adds to tensions
“Frequent national partners of the Indian Ocean will benefit from our growth and development,” he reported, “as well as from the greater cooperation and interaction with us.”
Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary, said President Donald Trump’s broader energy strategy includes waiving tariffs for oil and supporting stabilizing global oil supplies as a result of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
The opposition in India claims the waiver indicates influence on India’s oil policies by the U.S.
However, the Government of India has rejected the claim, and only considers the market and needs for national energy security when making its decisions to import oil.
The Government of India has stated that it will continue to diversify its sources of energy and ensure that it maintains its economic and foreign policy independence.
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