US Election 2024: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that India has seen "steady progress" in its relationship with the United States over the past five presidential terms and its ties with America are set to strengthen further, regardless of the outcome of the current US election.
In response to a query during a joint press briefing with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in Canberra, Jaishankar also expressed optimism about the future of the Quad, which comprises the US, India, Australia, and Japan. The two ministers were asked if there was a concern about Republican leader and former US president Donald Trump winning the election and if the Quad would be affected under his presidency.
What did Jaishankar say on US Election?
Jaishankar told reporters, "We have actually seen steady progress in our relationship with the US over the last five presidencies, including an earlier Trump presidency. So, when we look at the American election, we are very confident that whatever the verdict, our relationship with the United States will only grow."
"In terms of the Quad, I remind you that it was revived under the Trump presidency in 2017. It was then moved from the level of a permanent secretary to a minister, also during the Trump presidency," he said.
"And, in fact, it's interesting, in the midst of Covid, when physical meetings had stopped, one of the rare physical meetings of Foreign Ministers was actually of the Quad, in Tokyo, in 2020. So I think that should tell us something about the prospect of the Quad," he added.
The US, Japan, India, and Australia had in 2017 given shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the "Quad" or the Quadrilateral coalition to counter China's aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region. The four-member Quad, or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, advocates upholding a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. China claims that the grouping aims to contain its rise.
US Election 2024
Counting began in the US after millions of Americans cast their votes in a presidential election marked by drama and uncertainty. Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are now left to await the results of a tightly contested race following months of intense campaigning. As of writing this article, Trump won Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia while Democrats captured Vermont, Edison Research projected, as polls closed in the first nine US states, including critical Georgia and North Carolina.
The early results were expected, with the race likely to come down to seven battleground states: Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Opinion polls showed the rivals neck and neck in all seven going into Election Day.
Democracy and the economy ranked by far as the most important issues for voters, with around a third of respondents citing each, followed by abortion and immigration. The poll showed 73% of voters believed democracy was in jeopardy against 25% who said it was secure.
(With PTI inputs)
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