Kolkata, November 30, 2025 – India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, highlighted the evolving global economic and political landscape on Saturday, underlining the urgent need for India to pursue self-reliance while engaging with a rapidly changing world order. Speaking at a public event in Kolkata, the senior BJP leader emphasized that in today’s environment, political considerations increasingly overshadow economic ones, and India must recalibrate its strategies to navigate this new reality effectively.

“This is an era where politics increasingly trumps economics — and that is not a pun,” Jaishankar remarked, signaling a shift in how nations interact and asserting that traditional economic diplomacy alone is no longer sufficient to safeguard national interests. He noted that India is actively working to diversify its supply sources, strengthen its industrial base, and expand its footprint on the global stage, framing these measures as critical for national security, economic resilience, and long-term development.

Jaishankar began his address by reflecting on the United States’ evolving role in the international system. “The United States, long the underwriter of the contemporary system, has set radically new terms of engagement,” he said. He explained that Washington is increasingly adopting a bilateral approach, engaging countries individually rather than working through multilateral frameworks. This, according to Jaishankar, underscores the importance of India creating strategic and diversified partnerships to reduce dependency on any single country or supply chain.

The minister also turned his attention to China, noting that Beijing has historically operated by its own rules and continues to assert its influence in ways that often diverge from globally accepted norms. Jaishankar’s remarks come amid ongoing global trade negotiations and geopolitical maneuvering, particularly involving India, the United States, and China, highlighting the need for India to navigate its foreign relations with prudence, foresight, and an emphasis on national interest.

At the event, Jaishankar discussed India’s domestic development progress, emphasizing the strides made in infrastructure, industrial capacity, and technological advancement. He pointed to India’s growth in highways, railways, ports, and energy infrastructure as a foundation for narrowing the gap with leading Asian economies. “We are now moving ahead, by any standards,” he said, highlighting that the world is increasingly recognizing India’s developmental trajectory. He also stressed the government’s commitment to forging new trade arrangements and promoting fresh connectivity initiatives, aligning economic growth with strategic and geopolitical considerations.

Central to Jaishankar’s vision is the goal of a “developed India” or “Viksit Bharat” by 2047, coinciding with the centenary of India’s independence. He outlined how foreign policy, industrial expansion, and technological development are interconnected components of this long-term ambition. “The goal of foreign policy is to steadily expand our footprint beyond its current confines,” he stated, asserting that India’s increasing engagement with the Global South has strengthened its position and influence internationally.

Jaishankar underscored the necessity of a strong industrial base for India to assert itself as a major power with high aspirations. He noted that industrial growth has been prioritized through policies encouraging domestic manufacturing and innovation. The minister referenced the government’s “Make in India” initiative over the past decade as evidence of a deliberate strategy to shift the country’s economic mindset toward self-reliance and competitiveness. “Promoting industrial growth and even incentivising it is today a key economic priority,” he said, emphasizing that India’s ambitions are not merely economic but are intrinsically tied to strategic autonomy and global influence.

Technological advancement was another key theme of Jaishankar’s address. He highlighted India’s participation in sectors that define the global economy of the future, including chips and semiconductors, electric vehicles, battery technology, drones, space exploration, nanotechnology, and biosciences. According to Jaishankar, these fields provide opportunities for India to leapfrog traditional development stages and establish capabilities that are both cutting-edge and strategically significant. “Each of them offers an opportunity to leapfrog and establish unique capabilities,” he stated, signaling that India is positioning itself as a hub of innovation and high-technology manufacturing.

The minister also addressed the importance of resilience and diversification in supply chains. He emphasized that, in an era of political unpredictability and protectionist policies, India must reduce dependence on single-source suppliers for critical goods. He mentioned ongoing negotiations with the United States for trade deals, particularly in light of the 50 percent tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump since August, as indicative of the need for India to proactively secure its economic interests while maintaining strategic flexibility.

Jaishankar framed self-reliance not merely as a domestic policy goal but as a strategic imperative in global diplomacy. He argued that India’s increasing economic weight must be matched by autonomy in critical sectors, allowing the country to make policy decisions free from external constraints. “In an uncertain world, it is all the more important that we continuously diversify supply sources to guarantee our national needs,” he said. The emphasis, he added, is on building a foundation that allows India to operate independently, even as it deepens international partnerships and participates in the global economy.

Infrastructure development and connectivity remain central to India’s vision for the future. Jaishankar highlighted how domestic improvements in transport and logistics, along with international initiatives in connectivity, enhance India’s ability to engage with regional and global partners effectively. This focus, he suggested, is part of a broader strategy to align domestic growth with India’s emerging role as a key player in global governance.

The minister also drew attention to India’s progress in space and defense technology, noting that advancements in these areas reinforce the country’s strategic autonomy. He observed that the recent successes in space exploration, including Chandrayaan missions, and investments in defense infrastructure, such as the induction of advanced naval and air assets, exemplify India’s capacity to combine scientific achievement with national security objectives.

Jaishankar stressed that India’s pursuit of development is inseparable from its global role. By strengthening its industrial and technological base, India is better positioned to influence international norms, contribute to global problem-solving, and safeguard its sovereignty. He contended that India’s ambition to become a developed nation by 2047 is intertwined with its ability to shape global economic and technological landscapes proactively.

The minister’s remarks conveyed a broader message to both domestic and international audiences: India is committed to self-reliance, strategic diversification, and technological leadership, while simultaneously engaging constructively with the world. He stressed that India’s foreign policy is increasingly aligned with economic objectives, and that political realities must be understood and navigated carefully in pursuit of national goals.

Concluding his address, Jaishankar highlighted the interconnectedness of politics, economics, and technology in today’s global environment. He reiterated that India’s strategic priorities are guided by the twin imperatives of growth and autonomy. By emphasizing industrial development, technological innovation, and international engagement, India is charting a path toward a future where it is both self-reliant and globally influential.

In sum, Jaishankar’s address in Kolkata painted a picture of an India that is increasingly conscious of the intersection between politics and economics on the global stage. He made a strong case for self-reliance, diversification, and industrial advancement as tools to safeguard national interests. Through initiatives like “Make in India,” investment in high-tech sectors, and strategic diplomacy, India is positioning itself to meet the challenges of a complex and unpredictable world while aspiring to achieve the long-term vision of a developed nation by the country’s centenary in 2047.

By emphasizing innovation, youth engagement, and industrial and technological self-sufficiency, Jaishankar’s speech highlighted a comprehensive approach to securing India’s economic and geopolitical future. It is clear that for India, development, strategic autonomy, and global influence are no longer distinct objectives but part of an integrated vision that seeks to make India a major global power capable of shaping the rules of the 21st-century international order.