Fri Apr 11 09:04:20 UTC 2025: **Jaishankar Urges Faster Free Trade Deals with West Amidst US Tariff Concerns**
NEW DELHI, April 11, 2025 – External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar advocated for expedited free trade agreements (FTAs) with Western economies, citing recent US tariffs as a catalyst for recalibrating India’s global economic openness. Speaking at Carnegie India’s Global Technology Summit, Mr. Jaishankar highlighted the West as India’s ideal partners due to their market economies and competitive nature, contrasting them with economies in the East.
He emphasized the urgency of finalizing FTAs with the US, EU, and UK, stating that successful completion this year would significantly alter India’s economic landscape. While acknowledging the importance of collaborations like the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (ICET), Mr. Jaishankar stressed the need for parallel domestic regulatory and economic reforms to ensure effective implementation. He cautioned against discussions lacking follow-through on concrete projects.
Addressing concerns about the potential conflict between the “Make America Great Again” movement and India’s self-sufficiency goals, Mr. Jaishankar argued there was no contradiction. He attributed the shift in global dynamics, including Brexit and anti-globalization sentiments, to a growing discontent with the previous era of globalization, particularly regarding the impact of cheap imports on domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He noted that this discontent was not limited to the West, but also resonated within India.
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