'Politics over economics'—Jaishankar on global affairs

India Nov 29, 2025

At IIM-Calcutta, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared that in today's world, politics is starting to outweigh economics on the global stage.
He pointed out how the US is focusing more on direct one-on-one relationships with other countries, while China sticks to its own playbook—making it unclear for nations whether to focus on competition or on the trade-offs and understandings that come with it.

How India is responding

Jaishankar highlighted that countries everywhere are trying to manage uncertainty by becoming more self-reliant.
For India, this means ramping up manufacturing and investing in science and infrastructure.
He emphasized that these steps are key for India as it adapts and aims to stand out in a rapidly changing world.