Mumbai: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday expressed confidence in India’s relationship with the United States, emphasizing that, unlike some other nations, India is not concerned about the outcome of the recent US presidential election or the return of former President Donald Trump. Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Jaishankar highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ability to build strong relationships with successive US presidents, from Barack Obama to Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Addressing the question of Indo-US relations in light of the US election results, Jaishankar emphasized the strength of the partnership. He noted, “The Prime Minister was among the first three calls I think that President Trump took. Prime Minister Modi has actually built rapport across multiple presidents. When he first came to DC, Obama was the president, then it was Trump, then it was Biden. So, you know, for him, there’s something natural in terms of how he forges those relationships. So, that’s helped hugely.” Jaishankar stressed that India remains calm in the face of the US electoral outcome, distinguishing India’s position from that of other countries. “And I think, the changes in India have helped as well. I know today a lot of countries are nervous about the US. Let’s be honest about it. We are not one of them,” he added.
Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, also expressed optimism about Trump’s potential return to the White House, describing the former President as “pro-industry.” Reflecting on his earlier term, Birla noted, “Going by the past experience when he [Donald Trump] was the President of the United States, it was a very positive experience. He is very pro-industry. We as Aditya Birla Group are the largest investors from India in the US. We have about 15 billion dollars invested in the US. He is very positively inclined towards India and has a great bond with PM Modi.”
Donald Trump secured a second term in the White House on November 5, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. Following his victory, PM Modi congratulated Trump via a phone call on November 6, applauding his re-election and the Republican Party’s success in the Congressional elections. Modi praised Trump’s “spectacular and resounding victory,” which he said reflected Americans’ trust in Trump’s leadership. Modi highlighted key events like the “Howdy Modi” event in Houston in 2019 and the “Namaste Trump” event in Ahmedabad in 2020, marking milestones in bilateral cooperation.
