External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday reaffirmed that the current government's foreign policy is unambiguously anchored in national interest, stating that India's diplomatic decisions must always be tested against what serves the country first. Speaking to DD India in a wide-ranging interview titled '12 Years of Foreign Policy', Jaishankar offered a candid assessment of India's evolving relationships with major powers — from a cautious reset with China to a significantly warmer partnership with Europe.

India First: The Core Doctrine

Jaishankar drew a pointed parallel with Washington's own posture. 'The United States today very openly says that, look, we follow an America First policy. Now, I think from our side, quite independently of what the US does, I think we should always be clear that we follow an India first policy,' he said. He emphasised that the test of any foreign policy decision is, ultimately, what best serves India's national interest — not alignment with any bloc or power.

He noted that a 'big part' of diplomacy today involves achieving optimal positioning among the major powers, describing it as a 'very complex and not an easy thing to do.'

On the US: Tariffs, Multilateralism, and Distance from NATO

Addressing shifts in US engagement with the world, Jaishankar said India was not directly affected in many ways because it is 'not a member of NATO.' However, he acknowledged that tariffs, market access pressures, and Washington's changing stance on multilateral organisations and regional issues had created ripple effects that touched every country, including India.

China: Stabilised, But Not Restored

On the most watched bilateral, Jaishankar offered a measured assessment. 'We went through a difficult period starting with 2020, when peace and tranquillity in the border areas were disturbed, but in the last year, I think things have settled down. Things have settled down politically between us to a considerable degree. I would not say it has gone back to where it was,' he said. The remarks signal a deliberate recalibration — acknowledging progress without overstating normalisation.

Europe Emerges as the Standout Diplomatic Win

Jaishankar identified the relationship with Europe as the single biggest improvement in India's diplomatic ledger. 'The most notable in all our diplomatic accounts, where has been the biggest improvement, I would say without question, it is in Europe — the FTA, the strategic relationship, partnership that we have, really created a new, much closer template for cooperation,' he said. Progress on the long-stalled India-EU Free Trade Agreement and deepening strategic ties have elevated the relationship to a new register.

He also noted that ties with Russia and Japan remained steady, underscoring a multi-vector foreign policy that resists dependence on any single partner.

What This Signals

The interview comes as India navigates an unusually complex global environment — managing a partial thaw with China, hedging against US unpredictability, and deepening economic integration with Europe. Jaishankar's framing of an 'India First' doctrine, explicitly mirroring the language of 'America First,' is a deliberate signal to domestic and international audiences that New Delhi's foreign policy calculus is interest-driven, not ideology-driven. How these recalibrations hold under continued geopolitical pressure will define the next phase of India's strategic positioning.