External affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke on Wednesday about Kashmir and actions taken by the Union government, including the removal of Article 370, economic measures, and elections with high voter turnout. He also discussed Brics countries’ views on the use of the dollar in the international economy.
He made these remarks during a session titled “India’s Rise and Role in the World” at the Chatham House think tank in London.
When asked about Kashmir, Jaishankar said, “In Kashmir, we have done a good job solving most of it. I think removing Article 370 was one step. Then, restoring growth, economic activity and social justice in Kashmir was step number two. Holding elections, which were done with a very high turnout, was step number three. I think the part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, which is on the illegal Pakistani occupation. When that’s done, I assure you, Kashmir solved.”
Jaishankar also said that the US administration under President Donald Trump is moving towards multipolarity, which aligns with India’s interests. He said that both countries have agreed on the need for a bilateral trade agreement.
“We see a president and an administration which, in our parlance, is moving towards multipolarity and that is something that suits India,” he said.
Referring to the Quad alliance of the US, India, Australia, and Japan, he said, “From President Trump’s perspective, the one big shared enterprise that we have is the Quad, which is an understanding where everybody pays their fair share… There are no free riders involved. So that’s a good model which works.”
Regarding tariffs, Jaishankar said that commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal is in Washington for discussions on a bilateral trade pact following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump at the White House last month.
“We had a very open conversation about it (tariffs) and the result of that conversation was that we agreed on the need for a bilateral trade agreement,” he said.
Jaishankar also addressed topics such as India’s relationship with China, the internationalisation of the Rupee, and the role of the dollar in the global economy.
On China, he noted some developments since October 2024, including the opening of the Mount Kailash pilgrimage route in Tibet.
“We have a very, very unique relationship with China as the only two billion plus populated countries in the world… we want a relationship where our interests are respected, sensitivities are recognised and works for both of us,” he said.
Jaishankar is on an official visit to the United Kingdom and Ireland from March 4 to 9 to strengthen India’s ties with both countries.