'Don't Expect Bad Manners On My Side': Jaishankar's Retort To Question On US Politics

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar gave a lesson in diplomacy during his visit to Japan as he deftly answered a question about American politics amid election fervour in the United States.

When asked to comment on US politics during a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, Jaishankar said, “If I have just said that I don’t think it’s appropriate for people in one democracy to comment, especially with an agenda, on the workings of another democracy, surely you are not expecting bad manners from my side.”

“If I am complaining that others don’t follow the right etiquette, I think it’s important that I set an example. The best answer I can give you is not to answer the question,” the minister added. Jaishankar’s comments were apparently aimed at the Biden administration, whose US State Department has been rebuked on several occasions by the External Affairs Ministry, for making comments on India’s internal matters.

Jaishankar’s presser came on Monday after he attended a meeting of foreign ministers of the Quad bloc comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia. The all-important meeting was attended by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

On Monday, Jaishankar separately met his Japanese and Australian counterparts separately and discussed steps to strengthen bilateral ties and deepen cooperation across the Indo-Pacific. “Good to meet FM @Kamikawa_Yoko once again. Thank her for the Quad FMM arrangements. Took stock of our bilateral agenda and spoke about ways to continue strengthening our political, trade and people-to-people connect,” Jaishankar posted on X along with some photographs from the meeting.

On Sunday, Jaishankar held “wide-ranging” talks with his American counterpart Antony Blinken against the backdrop of an unease in India-US ties following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia three weeks back.