Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Jul 1: External affairs minister S Jaishankar has dismissed the notion that the India-US relationship revolves solely around China, calling it a ‘very gross oversimplification’ and even ‘misleading at times.’

Speaking at a session with Newsweek CEO Dev Pragad at One World Trade Centre in Manhattan on Monday, Jaishankar emphasized that the India-US partnership spans across several dimensions beyond strategic alignment on China.

“This relationship is about so many other things,” he said, citing the dynamic Indian diaspora in the US and strong bilateral trade and technology ties. “I think it's been a game-changer. It has got nothing to do with China.”

He pointed out the deep economic connect between the two countries and dismissed the notion that defence cooperation is only China-centric. “Look at the other coast—we work to keep the Arabian Sea safe for global shipping,” he added.

Urging against falling into the ‘age of oversimplification,’ Jaishankar said, “The world is much more nuanced and multi-causal. We have many more interests than just one country.”

While acknowledging the growing US-China rivalry, he noted that India seeks to balance its relations with both. “We are China’s largest neighbour. We share a land boundary and want stable relations with China,” he said, though he admitted the trade relationship with Beijing is imbalanced.

“Our approach is to steady the China relationship, create a fair equilibrium, and at the same time, deepen convergences with the US to serve our national interests,” he concluded.