Jaishankar Urges Europe to Embrace Mutual Respect in Ties with India
In a pointed diplomatic message, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has called on European nations to approach their relationship with India through a framework of mutual respect and deeper sensitivity. Addressing a high-profile forum, Jaishankar stressed that India seeks partnerships that are equitable, interest-based, and free of prescriptive posturing.
India-Europe Relations
Jaishankar noted that while some European countries have begun reassessing their global roles, the transformation into balanced partnerships with emerging powers like India remains incomplete. He emphasized that India is willing to engage constructively, but expects its concerns, priorities, and civilizational perspective to be acknowledged as equal.
He cautioned against outdated attitudes that often surface in European diplomacy, particularly the tendency to lecture rather than listen. According to him, for India-Europe ties to flourish, they must be built on trust, shared values, and mutual benefit.
Jaishankar’s Statement
Commenting on broader geopolitical issues, Jaishankar remarked that Europe’s handling of global crises—such as attempting to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict without directly engaging Russia—reflects a narrow worldview that ignores ground realities. He implied that such unilateral decision-making, when projected globally, risks alienating emerging powers that do not subscribe to the West’s version of diplomacy.
His remarks reinforced India’s growing confidence in navigating a multipolar world, where strategic autonomy and sovereign choices must be respected.
Mutual Respect in Global Partnerships
Reiterating India’s consistent stand, Jaishankar underlined that international relations should be rooted in mutual sensitivity. He urged European nations to shift away from rigid frameworks and instead engage India as an equal partner, capable of contributing meaningfully to global governance and sustainable development.
India’s foreign policy in recent years has pivoted towards asserting its own narrative on global platforms. From the Global South to strategic partners like the EU, New Delhi has made it clear that old hierarchies must give way to dialogue rooted in mutual dignity.
Jaishankar’s message to Europe was simple but firm: respect breeds cooperation, and India’s partnerships must be built on parity, not paternalism.
