Jaishankar Projects India as a Reliable Global Partner, Pitches Deeper Ties with Luxembourg in Finance, Tech and AI
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday strongly articulated New Delhi’s outward-looking and reliability-driven foreign policy, describing Luxembourg as a “very important partner” and expressing confidence that bilateral cooperation can expand significantly across emerging sectors such as fintech, space, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence.
Jaishankar is on a six-day official visit to France and Luxembourg, during which he held wide-ranging talks with Luc Frieden, focusing on the steady growth of India–Luxembourg ties in finance, investment, and technology.
The discussions reflected India’s broader effort to strengthen strategic partnerships within Europe at a time of global economic and geopolitical churn.
Luxembourg’s Role in India–EU Engagement
Speaking during delegation-level talks with Xavier Bettel, who also serves as Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister, Jaishankar underlined that India values Luxembourg not only bilaterally but also for its influence within the European Union.
India, he said, is at a crucial phase in deepening its relationship with the EU, and Luxembourg’s support and voice in shaping that broader engagement carries significant weight.
Beyond what he described as a “very solid trade relationship, Jaishankar pointed to vast untapped potential in collaboration across financial services, digital innovation, space cooperation, and AI-driven technologies.
Later, sharing his reflections on social media, Jaishankar described the meeting with Bettel as “excellent, noting that discussions covered both bilateral priorities and the evolving global situation.
He highlighted focused conversations on investments, digital ecosystems, AI, space cooperation, and talent mobility, while also appreciating Bettel’s personal efforts to familiarise him with Luxembourg’s heritage and traditions.
India’s Neighbourhood First Message
Addressing the Indian diaspora in Luxembourg, Jaishankar used the platform to reinforce India’s image as a dependable and responsive partner, particularly within South Asia.
He said India’s credibility in the region has been built not through rhetoric but through consistent action during times of crisis.
Citing India’s swift assistance during natural disasters such as cyclones in Sri Lanka and earthquakes in Myanmar and Afghanistan, he noted that countries in distress instinctively turn to those with the capacity and willingness to help.
“In our region,” he said, “there is a growing belief that the country which can be relied upon is India.”
He pointed out that this trust was reinforced during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many neighbouring countries received their first vaccine supplies from India, and again after the outbreak of the Ukraine war, when global energy disruptions left several nations struggling.
“It was India that stepped forward,” he said, framing these actions as part of a humane and responsible foreign policy ethos.
Pakistan is an “Exception” in India’s Neighbourhood Policy
Jaishankar also candidly addressed India’s strained ties with Pakistan, calling it an “exception” to India’s otherwise cooperative relations with its neighbours.
He criticised Islamabad for what he described as decades-long support for terrorism, including the operation of militant training camps in major cities.
“This is a very unpalatable reality,” Jaishankar said, adding that India has had to shape its policy by accepting that this particular neighbour continues to pursue an abnormal and widely discredited approach.
He stressed that such behaviour has increasingly lost global legitimacy, even as India remains committed to stability and responsibility in the region.
A Confident Diplomatic Pitch
Through his engagements in Luxembourg, Jaishankar projected India as a confident, solutions-oriented power—one that seeks partnerships based on trust, technology, and shared growth, while remaining firm against forces that undermine regional and global security.
His message was clear: India’s foreign policy today blends strategic realism with humanitarian outreach, positioning the country as a reliable partner in an uncertain world.
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