Jaishankar Says US Chooses Global Isolation While China Expands Influence

Jaishankar said China accounts for about one-third of global manufacturing, and argued that its economic capabilities are translating into political influence.
As examples of cooperation among emerging and middle powers, Jaishankar cited the Quad and connectivity projects including the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, the International North–South Transport Corridor and the Northern Sea Route.
Asked about India's prospects over the next five to 10 years, Jaishankar said the country had “decades of high growth” ahead, supported by its demographics, and suggested it may not need to follow the traditional industrialisation path as the global economy changes.
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar warned that the United States has deliberately chosen to become "a lonelier power" through its repositioning, while China's rise is fundamentally reshaping the global order Dev Discourse. He argued that intensifying US-China competition is spreading across the world, with countries weaponizing economic leverage, even as global interdependence remains unavoidable.
Jaishankar said emerging and middle powers like India will pursue "multi-alignment" instead of picking sides New Indian Express. Rather than disengaging from an interconnected world, these nations will strengthen cooperation, diversify partnerships, and develop alternative connectivity projects to navigate the fractured landscape.
China controls roughly one-third of global manufacturing, giving it outsized economic and political influence Swaraj Mag. Jaishankar stressed that Beijing's economic capabilities are translating into real geopolitical power. This concentration of production is forcing other nations to recalibrate their foreign policy strategies.
Rather than align with either superpower, middle powers are creating new infrastructure to reduce dependence on existing systems ANI News. Jaishankar cited three key projects: the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, the International North-South Transport Corridor, and the Northern Sea Route. These initiatives allow countries to cooperate while maintaining strategic flexibility.
Jaishankar projected that India has "decades of high growth" ahead, fueled by its young population and favorable demographics New Indian Express. He suggested India may bypass traditional industrialization entirely as the global economy transforms. This allows the country to leapfrog older development patterns and chart its own course.
Jaishankar called for a balanced approach to US-China competition—not too hot, not too cold Dev Discourse. Emerging nations must avoid getting pulled into a zero-sum conflict while staying engaged with both sides. This middle path allows smaller powers to protect their interests and exploit opportunities without choosing permanent allegiances.
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