EAM Jaishankar Clarifies Trade Relations with Pakistan, Highlights India-US Ties
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, during a press conference in Washington, DC, addressed the state of trade relations between India and Pakistan. He clarified that contrary to popular belief, India never ceased trading with Pakistan. Instead, it was Pakistan’s administration that decided to halt trade in 2019.
Jaishankar stated, “We did not stop trading. Their administration made the decision in 2019 to not continue trading with us.” He also shed light on a longstanding issue regarding the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status, which India extended to Pakistan. However, Pakistan did not reciprocate.
“Our concern about this issue was from the beginning. While we gave MFN status to Pakistan, they chose not to provide the same to us,” he explained.
The EAM further noted that no recent discussions or initiatives regarding trade have occurred between the two countries. “Neither such talks have taken place from our side, nor have they taken any initiative from their side,” he added.
Strengthening India-US Relations
Jaishankar also discussed the evolving relationship between India and the United States. He described the partnership as one built on a “very strong degree of trust and convergence” of interests.
“We have a very high level of trust today between India and the United States, with a strong alignment of our interests,” he said. The EAM emphasized the shared sense of purpose between the two nations, which includes working for global good while advancing national interests.
Highlighting the discussions with US officials, Jaishankar remarked, “While we serve our national interests and strengthen our bilateral ties, there’s a mutual understanding that we can achieve a lot together on regional and global issues.”
He revealed that the conversations were broad and exploratory in nature but carried a consensus on being “bolder, bigger, and more ambitious” in the partnership.
Attending Donald Trump’s Inauguration
Notably, Jaishankar represented India at the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, who was sworn in as the 47th President on January 20. Jaishankar also delivered a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Trump, further underscoring the importance of India-US relations.
This event marks a significant step in fostering deeper ties between the two democracies while maintaining India's diplomatic clarity on trade and geopolitical issues with its neighbors.