‘Partnership is not an alliance,’ says Jaishankar on India-US ties; talks about Russia, China, Europe policy objectives

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India’s strong strategic partnership with the United States should not be mistaken for an alliance. Speaking at Bloomberg’s New Economy Forum, he said bilateral trade negotiations were progressing toward an agreement. On China, he stressed maintaining peace along the border and said economic concerns would be handled separately. Jaishankar argued that Russia should retain multiple international partnerships, with India remaining a consequential partner. He also voiced hope that a trade agreement with Europe could take effect by year-end or early next year