New Delhi, May 5, 2025 (ANI): At Arctic Circle India Forum 2025, EAM Dr S Jaishankar took a subtle swipe at Europe. EAM Jaishankar said, “When we look at the world, we look for partners, we don't look for preachers. Particularly, preachers who don't practice at home what they preach abroad. Some of Europe is still struggling with that problem. Europe has entered a certain zone of reality check. Whether they are able to step up or not is something we will have to see...If we have to develop a partnership, there has to be some understanding, sensitivity, mutuality of interest and a realisation of how the world works ...”
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00:00When we look out at the world, Samir, we look for partners. We don't look for preachers.
00:06What are the expectations? And I know there are plans for a visit to this part of the world.
00:12But more broadly, if we take Europe and the EU as an actor in this particular equation,
00:19what are India's expectations from an EU partnership? That's the first part of the question.
00:26And the second, of course, is that, you know, you did make a very important point that maybe Donald Trump has popularized Arctic beyond the traditional circles of examination.
00:39Now, as a follow up. The syllabus has become more popular.
00:43The syllabus has become more popular. That's right. So now the question for you is, how do you mobilize constituencies at home to respond to perhaps this moment when maybe like President mentioned,
00:55Indian private sector and other stakeholders could be motivated to look at this region more closely?
01:03Well, when you ask me about Europe, you mean on Arctic or generally speaking?
01:07Generally speaking.
01:09Considering where they are right now, you know, they tried to play the strategic autonomy game.
01:14Like you mentioned, security from America, energy from Russia, markets from China, strategic autonomy of a European variety, not going that well right now.
01:23But how do you and what do you as India expect from Europe?
01:27Well, look, when we look out at the world, Samir, we look for partners.
01:33We don't look for preachers, particularly preachers who don't practice at home what they preach abroad.
01:40And I think some of Europe is still struggling with that problem.
01:43Some of it is changing.
01:46So the issue for us, I mean, in many ways, Europe, I think, has entered a certain zone of reality check.
01:59Now, whether they are able to step up to it or not, it's something we will have to see.
02:07But from our point of view, if we are to develop a partnership, there has to be some understanding, there has to be some sensitivity, there has to be a mutuality of interest.
02:18And there has to be a realisation of how the world works.
02:27And I think these are all work in progress to differing degrees with different parts of Europe.
02:34So some have moved further, some a little bit less.
02:40So some have moved further, some a little bit more.