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On the final day of the Raisina Dialogue 2026, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar delivered a resounding rebuttal to US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau’s warning that Washington wouldn’t allow India to rise economically like China. Jaishankar asserted:

“India’s rise will be determined solely by India. It will be defined by our strength, not by the mistakes of others.”

 He further emphasised the emergence of multipolarity, stating:

“Multipolarity is now a permanent reality. The world is unlikely to revert to a system where a few powers dictate major agreements and expect the rest to simply comply.”

Earlier that day, foreign secretary Vikram Misri questioned the legitimacy of a rules-based international order that excluded India’s participation, prompting a pointed question:

“India supports a rules-based order, but did we have a role in shaping those rules?”

Misri also advocated for moving beyond shared values, suggesting that countries could compete in one domain while cooperating in another.

Together, these statements challenge the multilateral dominance of the US and the West and propose that countries don’t necessarily need to be strategic allies to function cooperatively. They implicitly reject the US’s framing of the relationship as one where India must choose between aligning with Washington and pursuing its own interests.

At a time when Modi’s foreign policy faces scrutiny even from some of his supporters, these statements serve as a bold assertion of Indian strategic autonomy.

However, there’s a significant contradiction. The twelve months preceding these statements paint a very different picture.

In Washington, India conceded to US pressure while in Delhi, India firmly refused

The capitulation began even before Trump initiated the tariff war and weaponised trade, dominating conversations. Prime minister Narendra Modi presented a list of concessions when he met the newly inaugurated Trump in February 2025. Before any tariffs were imposed, India offered to reduce duties on some American exports and suggested purchasing more US energy and defence products. India remained silent on Trump’s demonstrative decision to deport illegal immigrants in chains, which was filmed for maximum embarrassment. Modi remained silent.

Washington acknowledged Delhi’s submission and praised the partnership. Trump called Modi a great leader and Modi declared that MAGA plus MIGA equals mega – a mega partnership for prosperity. However, within weeks, Trump imposed a 25%........

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