Rama Krishna Sangem
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has made it clear that India is open to the return of illegal migrants from the US. Sending back illegal or undocumented migrants from America to their respective countries is a top priority of President Donald Trump. This clear announcement by Indian foreign minister is expected to please President Trump and his administration.
Dr Jaishankar described the Trump administration’s prioritisation of India-US bilateral relations as a significant gesture. During Jaishankar’s visit to Washington DC to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration, the new US administration reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with India, with a strong emphasis on advancing the Quad alliance.
Speaking to the press in Washington DC, Jaishankarunderscored the administration’s enthusiasm for bolstering ties with India. “It was very clear that the Trump administration was keen to have India present at the inaugural itself. They’re clearly prioritising the bilateral relationship,” he said.
Jaishankar added that the Trump administration intends to build on the foundation laid during Trump’s first presidency. He noted that initiatives spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump had matured, paving the way for an ambitious future partnership. He also flagged concerns about delays in US visas, noting that they impact business, tourism, and people-to-people connections, which are the backbone of the relationship.
“There is a very strong degree of trust today between India and the United States. While we serve our national interests and build our bilateral partnership, there is a lot of good we can do on regional and global issues,” Jaishankar added, highlighting the shared ambition to simplify regulations and processes to ease business, education, and technological collaboration.
India-US ties: Quad partnership takes centre stage
One of the key highlights of Jaishankar’s visit was the Quad Ministerial Meeting, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on his first day in office. The meeting saw the Foreign Ministers of India, Australia, and Japan join Rubio to reaffirm their commitment to a “free and open Indo-Pacific”.
The joint statement from the Quad underscored the importance of international law, democratic values, and regional security. “We strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion,” it said. The grouping also pledged to enhance regional maritime, economic, and technology security while promoting reliable and resilient supply chains.
Reflecting on the discussions, Jaishankar noted, “There was a very strong sense that the current administration would reciprocate our desire to take the Quad further and intensify its activities. The Quad, restarted in 2017 under President Trump, has since grown into a significant pillar of regional security and cooperation.”
