The relationship was now consequential enough to be imbued with a bigger purpose, Jaishankar said

Describing India-US ties in terms of five Ts - tradition, technology trade, trusteeship and talent - External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said both India-US relations and Quad speak of a newer and more collaborative era of our times.

Jaishankar was delivering the keynote address at the USIBC India Ideas Summit and 46th Annual Meeting.

Recalling the US-India Leadership Summit and the first-in-person Quad Summit held a fortnight ago, Jaishankar said, “Together, these two events provided an opportunity to not only refresh our ties but give them an updated relevance in a larger context.”

“Appropriately, the outcome document after the bilateral discussions was titled as a partnership for global good. So, we are focused on a relationship that has not only steadily expanded but is now consequential enough to be imbued with a bigger purpose,” he added.

Reiterating the five Ts mentioned by PM Modi, he said, “The tradition, of course, is one of our democratic values and ethos. This has not only brought our people much closer but has helped create a powerful bridge between our societies. In many ways, it is the basis for a sixth T: that of trust.”

“The technology T is something that we all know very well. At one level, it is an expression of the creative urges of both our societies. It is equally a powerful driver of business between us. Not least, it has been the reason for deepening the connect of our two nations and increasingly, a domain for us to work closely with the rest of the international community,” the Minister stated.

Pointing out that the technology T derives directly from the talent T, he said we have both encouraged our best minds to freely address the challenges of our contemporary era and in that process, they have generated ideas, innovations and products that have transformed the nature of our lives.

“And consequently, the next T – that of trade – has flourished between us. The quality of commerce between India and the United States testifies both to the progress of our respective societies and indeed to our deeper partnership,” EAM Jaishankar mentioned.

“In business as much as in strategy, we are endeavouring to overcome the hesitations of history. All of this has to be conducted keeping in mind the long-term future of our environment. Therefore, the relevance of the trusteeship T: a conviction in the well-being of our planet and in securing it for future generations,” he said.

Stating that this outlook of five Ts permeates both our bilateral Summit and that of the Quad, Jaishankar said we have reaffirmed the principles on which our societies are organized and agreed to cooperate to nurture our way of life.

“When it comes to technology, the significance of trusted partners is very much in evidence. Trade discussions focused strongly on the need for reliable and resilient supply chains,” he noted.

“With COP 26 around the corner, India – as the only G 20 nation in line to meet its Paris commitments – made the case for our sustainable future. And in a world where creativity and mobility have acquired a growing salience, the importance of the flow of talent was recognized, including through fellowships,” the Minister further said.

Arguing that for business, it clearly signals a very positive enabling environment, he said, when polities have strong convergences, their economic energies tend to find partners much more readily.

“Both India-US relations and the Quad speak of a newer and more collaborative era of our ties. We are seeing value in each other more clearly and with less constraints. In an era where technology is increasingly connected with trust and supply chains with reliability, we are contemplating how best to take forward post-Covid economic recovery,” Jaishankar stated further.

He hoped that as more discussions take place on all these subjects and more, the transformation in India in the midst of the pandemic will take into account.

“The nature of the public health response, the fiscal handling of the pandemic-induced challenges, the reforms in labour, education and agriculture, and the expansion of manufacturing are developments that surely merit your consideration,” he stated.