S Jaishankar Says India Engaging Global Partners From Position of Strength Amid Trade Deals

India Steps Up Global Economic Engagement​

Mumbai, February 16: India is intensifying its engagement with international partners from what it describes as a position of strength, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday, pointing to recent trade agreements including developments with the United States.

Speaking at the Global Economic Cooperation conference in Mumbai, Jaishankar underscored that India’s expanding global outreach is reflected in the trade deals concluded in recent months.

“From a position of strength, India is engaging international partners more intensively. This is demonstrated in the recently concluded trade deals,” he said.

Global Order in Transition​

The minister also highlighted broader structural changes in the global economy, noting that production and finance are increasingly being used as strategic tools. He said the world is witnessing the weaponization of production and finance, the leveraging of market shares, and tightening export controls.

According to Jaishankar, the international system is undergoing a fundamental shift.

“The established global order is clearly changing; replacements are hard to create and we appear to be headed to a long twilight zone,” he said, describing the current period as volatile and uncertain, possibly the most turbulent in living memory.

US Tariff Reduction Follows Modi–Trump Call​

The remarks come in the backdrop of recent trade developments between India and the United States. Following a phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, both sides announced a reduction in US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent from 50 percent.

The move is seen as a significant step in easing trade frictions and strengthening bilateral economic ties between the two countries.

India–EU FTA Talks Concluded​

In another major development, India and the European Union recently concluded negotiations for a proposed Free Trade Agreement.

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal had earlier stated that the agreement is expected to boost two way commerce and deepen economic cooperation between India and the EU.

With key trade negotiations advancing on multiple fronts, India is positioning itself as a more assertive and engaged player in an increasingly complex global economic landscape.