External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that India’s relationship with the United States cannot continue progressing smoothly unless Washington demonstrates a deeper understanding of New Delhi’s concerns regarding cross-border terrorism.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Asia Society in New York, Jaishankar stressed that terrorism remains one of India’s most significant national security challenges. He noted that India has endured decades of terrorism originating from a neighbouring country as part of what he described as a deliberate and sustained policy.

He argued that when a matter of such critical importance to India does not receive sufficient understanding, appreciation or empathy from a key partner, it inevitably affects the broader bilateral relationship. According to Jaishankar, failure to recognise India’s primary security concerns creates difficulties in maintaining stronger strategic ties.

His remarks come at a time when India-US relations are navigating several areas of friction, including trade and tariff disputes, India’s continued purchase of Russian energy, and renewed American engagement with Pakistan. These issues have added complexity to a partnership that has otherwise expanded significantly across defence, technology, trade and Indo-Pacific cooperation in recent years.

The Pakistan dimension has become particularly prominent since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for helping bring an end to the India-Pakistan military confrontation that followed Operation Sindoor. India, however, has consistently maintained that the cessation of hostilities resulted from direct bilateral military communication after Pakistan initiated contact through its Director General of Military Operations.

Jaishankar said India hopes the partnership with the United States will continue on an upward trajectory. At the same time, he acknowledged that both countries must address existing differences if they wish to deepen cooperation further and strengthen trust on critical strategic issues.

Turning to India-China relations, Jaishankar said ties have improved considerably since the border tensions that followed the 2020 military standoff. He stated that relations today are markedly better than in previous years because of progress in reducing tensions along the Line of Actual Control.

He reiterated India’s position that the state of the border directly determines the state of the wider relationship. In his view, normal bilateral relations cannot coexist with unresolved tensions along the border.

The minister added that the restoration of official engagements, visa services and flight connectivity after the easing of border tensions has created conditions for broader diplomatic and economic interaction between the two Asian powers.

Discussing the international landscape, Jaishankar said the world is moving increasingly towards a multipolar order. He attributed this shift to evolving American foreign policy priorities and the growing global influence of China.

Referring to the recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, he cautioned against assuming that Washington and Beijing alone can shape solutions for global challenges. He argued that there are natural limits to what the world’s two largest powers can agree upon on behalf of the wider international community.

According to Jaishankar, many countries are therefore pursuing strategies focused on diversification, resilience and risk reduction. Nations are seeking new partnerships, expanding diplomatic options and reducing overdependence on any single power bloc in response to an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment.

Overall, Jaishankar’s remarks underscored India’s expectation that major partners, particularly the United States, demonstrate greater sensitivity towards New Delhi’s security concerns while also highlighting India’s broader foreign policy approach of strategic autonomy, diversified partnerships and active participation in an emerging multipolar world order.

Agencies