Jaishankar In Brussels
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has urged the European Union to treat terrorism as a global threat and not just a regional conflict. In an interview with Euractiv during his official visit to Brussels, he also voiced strong opposition to the EU’s proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), while defending India’s neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.
Jaishankar met top EU leaders, including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, as part of ongoing efforts to deepen India-EU ties. The visit comes amid a changing global order, with India positioning itself as a trusted alternative to China in trade and security.
It’s About Terrorism
Referring to the recent terror attack in J&K’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, Jaishankar criticized the way the international media often reduces such incidents to India-Pakistan tensions.
“Let me remind you of something—there was a man named Osama bin Laden,” he said. “Why did he, of all people, feel safe living for years in a Pakistani military town, right next to their equivalent of West Point?”
“This isn’t merely an India-Pakistan issue. It’s about terrorism. And that very same terrorism will eventually come back to haunt you.”
Not Prescriptive But Not Uninvolved
On Europe’s criticism of India’s refusal to join sanctions against Russia, Jaishankar defended India’s position.
“We don’t believe that differences can be resolved through war. We don’t believe a solution will come from the battlefield,” he said. “It’s not for us to prescribe what that solution should be. My point is, we’re not being prescriptive or judgmental but we are also not uninvolved.”
He highlighted India’s historical experience with unresolved conflicts. “India has the longest-standing grievance. Our borders were violated just months after independence, when Pakistan sent in invaders to Kashmir. And the countries that were most supportive of that? Western countries.”
“If those same countries, who were evasive or reticent then, now say let’s have a great conversation about international principles, I think I’m justified in asking them to reflect on their own past.”
Deep Reservations On CBAM
Jaishankar made India’s opposition to the EU’s climate-linked carbon tariff clear. “Let’s not pretend we’re opposed to parts of it,” he said. “We have very deep reservations about CBAM and we’ve been quite open about it. The idea that one part of the world will set standards for everybody else is something which we are against.”
Not About Personality X Or President Y
When asked whether India would trust a potential return of Donald Trump to the White House, Jaishankar responded pragmatically.
“I take the world as I find it,” he said. “Our aim is to advance every relationship that serves our interests. And the U.S. relationship is of immense importance to us. It’s not about personality X or president Y.”
De-risking From China
Jaishankar highlighted growing interest from European firms in moving operations to India to reduce dependence on China.
“I just met with several European companies in India that have chosen to set up there specifically to de-risk their supply chains,” he said. “Many companies are becoming increasingly careful about where they locate their data. They’d rather place it somewhere secure and trustworthy than simply go for efficiency. Would you really want that in the hands of actors you don’t feel comfortable with?”
Multipolarity Is Here: Jaishankar
Looking ahead, Jaishankar praised the EU’s push for greater strategic autonomy and framed the India-EU relationship as central to a multipolar world.
“I hear terms like ‘strategic autonomy’ being used in Europe; these were once part of our vocabulary,” he said. “The EU is clearly a major pole in the global order, and increasingly an autonomous one. That is precisely why I’m here: to deepen our relationship in this multipolar world.”
