NEW DELHI: Amid stated ‘unhappiness’ by the US over PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia (July 8-9), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday cited the history of past three decades to suggest there had been ‘no inconsistency’ from the Indian side, rather, the Indian political class had been ‘non-partisan’ on improving ties with America.
Delivering the Air Commodore Jasjit Singh memorial lecture, Jaishankar was asked about the Indo-US ties, to which he mentioned the tenure of PM Rajiv Gandhi (1984-89). He said: “I think structurally, we were too close to the Soviets for an attempt to improve India-US ties to really work…In fact, I would give more credit to Narasimha Rao (PM from 1991-96) as a person who in a way, you know, freed up our system.”
“Subsequently, every government has built up on it. At least that’s one policy which has not been inconsistent or partisan,” the minister added. Explaining why the India-US ties were working, he said: “I think the world has changed. American interests have changed. The global competition has changed. Our value in the world is different for the world. But for the United States as well. America has a utility for us as well.”
Jaishankar said India-US relationship was a testimony to the changing world and brushed aside doomsday predictions on Indian foreign policy.