S Jaishankar Assumes Office as India’s Foreign Minister, Discusses Foreign Policy Agenda

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 11th June. S Jaishankar officially took office as India’s Foreign Minister on Tuesday, marking the beginning of his tenure in the crucial role. At 69, Mr. Jaishankar joins several senior BJP leaders, including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, and Nirmala Sitharaman, who have retained their respective ministries from the previous administration.

In his first address, Jaishankar delved into India’s relationships with Pakistan and China, emphasizing the distinct challenges posed by each. “In any country, and especially in a democracy, it is a significant achievement for a government to secure three consecutive electoral victories. This signals political stability, which the world recognizes,” remarked Jaishankar.

Regarding China, he emphasized a focus on resolving border issues, while with Pakistan, the priority remains finding solutions to long-standing cross-border terrorism.

Jaishankar’s diplomatic finesse was evident when addressing the Maldives situation, where ties had strained due to President Muizzu’s pro-China stance. Regarding the Maldivian parliamentary probe into previous agreements with India, Jaishankar highlighted diplomatic engagement, stating, “I will prefer to be guided by my experience and conversation.”

Highlighting India’s aspirations for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Jaishankar expressed confidence in India’s growing influence under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

“India’s identity in the world will definitely increase,” he affirmed.

Jaishankar brings a wealth of experience to his role, having served as India’s Foreign Secretary under the first Modi government (2015-18) and held ambassadorial roles in the United States, China, and the Czech Republic.

His extensive diplomatic career also includes assignments in Singapore, Moscow, Colombo, Budapest, and Tokyo, along with roles in the Ministry of External Affairs and the President’s Secretariat.