External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Tuesday that India-US ties will keep growing steadily with or without the outcome of the US Presidential elections.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Canberra at the Parliament House, EAM Jaishankar gave credit to former US President Donald Trump for reviving the QUAD alliance in 2017 as a major development in the framework of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
We have had five presidencies with fairly steady progress in our relationship with the US," including an earlier Trump presidency, Jaishankar said in response to a question about what can be expected in the trajectory of India-US ties post-election.
"So when we look at the American election, we are sure that however the outcome may go, our relationship with the US is only going to move on.".
Suggesting that the QUAD, a strategic alliance among the US, India, Japan and Australia, has evolved in maturity, EAM Jaishankar said, "I remind you that the Quad was actually revived under the Trump presidency in 2017."
I was then elevated from the level of a Permanent Secretary to a ministerial level, also during the Trump presidency. Interestingly, in the midst of COVID, when most physical meetings had stopped, one of the rare in-person meetings of foreign ministers was of the QUAD in Tokyo in 2020. That, I think, speaks about the strong prospects of the QUAD," he added.
The results of the 2024 US Presidential election may come out as early as Wednesday morning, but can be late since, sometimes, it takes days, weeks, or even a month to confirm the results.
Election Eve: In the days leading up to yesterday's election day, 78 million+ people in America had already voted, as the Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump gave their closing campaign speeches in seven battleground states.
The race for the US Presidential election is by electoral college vote rather than the national total, and requires at least 270 of the 538 electoral votes to the win. Each state's electoral vote is representative of their number in the US House of Representatives plus two Senate seats, providing a fair representation.
Early voting continues to be very active, with over 55 million registered voters who have already voted in person or by mail.
Meanwhile, EAM Jaishankar, who is on a two-nation tour, will be in Australia till November 7 and visit Singapore on November 8. He reached Brisbane on Sunday after which he addressed the Indian diaspora and inaugurated a new consulate.
During his visit, he co-chaired the 15th Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue (FMFD) with Australian FM Penny Wong.
On X, he posted: "Concluded the 15th India – Australia Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue with FM Penny Wong in Canberra today. Our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is growing steadily. Reflected in stronger political ties, robust defence & security cooperation, expanded trade, greater mobility and deeper educational linkages. Discussed our respective neighbourhoods, Indo-Pacific, West Asia, Ukraine and the global strategic scenario."
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