‘Don’t think there is any bad manners on my part’: Jaishankar responds to question on US politics

With election fever in the US at its peak, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar deftly fielded questions on US politics and offered some diplomatic lessons during his visit to Japan.

Asked to comment on US politics at a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, Jaishankar said, “If I have said that it is not appropriate for the people of one democracy to comment on the workings of another democracy, especially with any motive, then you should not expect any disrespect from me.”

“If I am going to complain that others are not following the correct etiquette, I think it is important for me to set an example. The best answer I can give is to not answer the question,” the minister added. Jaishankar’s comments were clearly aimed at the Biden administration, whose US State Department has been reprimanded by the Ministry of External Affairs on multiple occasions for speaking out on India’s internal affairs.

Jaishankar’s press conference came on Monday after he attended a meeting of Quad foreign ministers – comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia – in a crucial meeting also attended by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

On Monday, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar met his Japanese and Australian counterparts separately to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties and deepen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. “It was good to meet with Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa again and I appreciate the Quad FMM arrangement. We reviewed our bilateral agenda and discussed ways to continue to strengthen political, trade and people-to-people ties,” Jaishankar wrote on Twitter along with pictures from the meetings.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar held “wide-ranging” talks with US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken on Sunday, amid unrest in India-US ties following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia three weeks ago.