Jaishankar: US choosing to be 'lonelier power' as China rises

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated the US is deliberately becoming a "lonelier power" while China rises globally, urging middle powers to deepen cooperation and pursue self-reliance amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. Speaking at the Munich Leaders Meeting in New Delhi, Jaishankar noted that great-power competition has led to the "weaponisation of any leverage" a country holds, coexisting with complex interdependence. He highlighted conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war and West Asia crisis as backdrop. Jaishankar outlined India's economic growth roadmap, discussed AI's human-centric use, and said an EU free trade agreement would have a "cascading impact" on relations. He also held talks with US Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel Paparo on Indo-Pacific maritime security.