NEW DELHI: Tariffs and sanctions are a reality, whether one likes it or not, amid the weaponisation of any kind of economic activity over the past decade, foreign minister S Jaishankar said Wednesday.
As US President Donald Trump threatens to unleash a trade war with his reciprocal tariffs, Jaishankar said there’s a less restrained “culture” in international relations today than a decade ago and that’s something all countries need to factor in.
“Whether we like it or not, they are a reality. Countries use them. In fact, if one looks at last decade, I’d say we have seen pretty much the weaponisation of any kind of capability or economic activity. It could be financial flows, energy supplies or technology… this is a reality of the world,” he said responding to a question during a session at Raisina Dialogue.
India, which has a significant trade surplus with US, is currently negotiating a trade deal with the Trump administration to stave off Trump’s reciprocal tariff threat.
The minister added that there are different ways of dealing with weaponisation, one of which is to stay on “the right side of the weapon so you don’t get hit”.
