External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has articulated profound concerns over the selective targeting of India in global economic interactions, particularly emphasising that such measures transcend mere tariffs to encompass subtler instruments of pressure.

In early 2026, during discussions with Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on 19 January, he explicitly stated that "the selective targeting is not limited to tariffs - I think there have been other forms of selective targeting," deeming it both unfair and unjustified.

These remarks underscore India's frustration with discriminatory practices amid escalating trade tensions, especially with the United States under President Donald Trump's administration.
​
Jaishankar has repeatedly highlighted the weaponisation of economic activities over the past decade, pointing to financial flows, energy supplies, and technology as tools deployed against specific nations. 

He noted that tariffs, sanctions, and export controls have become entrenched realities, compelling India to seek more reliable trade partners. This shift influences business decisions beyond efficiency and cost, incorporating non-economic factors to safeguard national interests.

A focal point of his critique involves unfair sanctions disrupting energy flows, notably pressure on India's Russian oil imports. He has argued that Western double standards—criticising India's purchases while others face no equivalent constraints—constrict global energy trade, fostering market distortions and unreliable supply chains.

In September 2025 at the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar warned that such volatility, alongside technology restrictions and coercive supply-chain practices, erodes trust in the international system.

Amid US threats of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods—partly in retaliation for continued Russian energy trade—Jaishankar has stressed defending India's "red lines" in negotiations. These protect farmers and small producers from adverse deals, as evidenced in stalled talks between Indian and US officials in New York. He has positioned India as advocating strategic autonomy, maintaining "freedom of choice" and diversifying supply chains to mitigate over-dependence on single markets.

Jaishankar's rhetoric aligns India with the Global South, calling for fair, non-discriminatory trade devoid of hypocrisy. In November 2025, he observed that politics increasingly "trumps" economics, with the US setting new bilateral terms that fragment multilateralism. By urging de-risking in critical minerals and supply chains—implicitly targeting China's dominance—he reinforces India's push for a multipolar order.

These statements, spanning 2025 to early 2026, reflect heightened geopolitical strains, including Trump's 100 per cent tariffs on pharmaceuticals and BRICS-targeted punitive measures.

Jaishankar's advocacy for resilience through new trade pacts—with the UK, EU, and US—aims to expand India's footprint by 2047. Ultimately, his narrative champions economic sovereignty, cautioning that selective pressures risk global trade stability while bolstering India's voice for equitable practices.
​
Agencies