New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Executive Director Dhruva Jaishankar said on Monday that priorities for US President Donald Trump have been Canada, China, Mexico, European Union to some extent and noted that India has been a little exempt.

Speaking to ANI, Jaishankar recalled that Trump before his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that they are imposing global reciprocal taxes. According to him, India will be particularly hard hit along with other nations. He mentioned that the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry held talks with the US Trade Representative and expressed hope that there will be some kind of interim agreement before April 2.

On reciprocal tariffs by US, Dhruva Jaishankar said, 'The priorities for Trump on tariffs have been Canada, Mexico, China, European Union to some extent. So far, thankfully, India has been a little exempt. Then he announced actually the same day that Prime Minister Modi met with him a little earlier, that day a few hours before, that they were going to do global reciprocal taxes. India has much higher tariffs than the US. So, India will be particularly hard hit, along with a few other countries, Malaysia, Brazil, others. So it will matter for India. I think there have been some attempts even in the last few days for trade negotiations, including Commerce Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.'

'He spoke with the US Trade Representative about three or four days back. So I think there's some hope that there will be some kind of interim agreement before April 2nd. Let's see if that happens. But with the idea of working towards a longer-term agreement by September or October of this year, that will help stabilize the relationship. This will require some give or take by both sides. But, hopefully that means that we avoid a very dangerous slide towards because if the US applies those tariffs, India will also apply certain tariffs as countermeasures. So, hopefully we can avoid that situation. The good news is Trump has also shown with other cases that he is willing to, at the last minute, back off. So let's see if that happens. But, I'm not yet too worried. I think we will have some intense negotiations in the next few weeks,' he added.

Dhruv Jaishankar called Raisina Dialogue, which began on Monday, an 'important global forum.' He said that Raisina Dialogue has over 100 sessions and participation of 4000 delegates. He stated that the Raisina Dialogue is 'positive and constructive' compared to other international conferences like the Munich Security Conference.

On Raisina Dialogue, he said, 'I didn't attend the first Raisina Dialogue. I think I've attended almost everyone since then, and last four, five years I've been with ORF, that is one of the organizing partners, it's become an important global forum. We now have people from over 100 countries who attend. We have over 100 sessions, 4,000 delegates, 2,000 from abroad. So it's become a place, pulse. I see one big difference compared to a lot of other international conferences is the tone is actually quite positive and constructive, you know, compared to say the Munich Security Conference, which is much more confrontational.'

'So I think that even we've just had the first few sessions, and my takeaway was the tone is still much more positive compared to what's happening in many other parts of the world. I think there are a lot of themes this year. Issues of connectivity are high. Issues of trade are obviously very high. A lot of change, geopolitical shifts, particularly involving Russia and Ukraine, Middle East, Indo-Pacific. So, I think all of these are coming up,' he added.

The Raisina Dialogue, which is being held in Delhi from March 17-19, is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs. It is India's premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.

Dhruva Jaishankar noted that Ukraine has agreed to terms for a ceasefire and now the ball lies in Russia's court. He mentioned that talks are expected between Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Dhruva Jaishankar said, 'I think a few things. I think now one is after the last round of negotiations between US officials, the Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, with the Ukrainians, they agreed to terms for a ceasefire, which they have now sent to Russia. So I think, as they put it, the ball is now in Russia's court. Tomorrow there will be a conversation between Trump and Putin that is expected. Let's see what comes of that. So, I think that will show. What really is at stake, though, is less the territorial gains. It is more the terms of the ceasefire for Ukraine. What is Ukraine's status going to be? That is really what is up in the air and I think the number of scenarios to look at would have different levels of involvement by the US, we're expecting less involvement by the US. But the question really is how much the other European countries support Ukraine going forward and how much of that is deemed acceptable for Russia for a ceasefire.'

Asked what kind of role he thinks India can play to resolve the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, he responded, 'Saudi Arabia has played the main role as the intermediary. They've had the venue for the conversations, for the dialogue. I think India has said that India's offices are open for any kind of intermediary role, if both sides are happy with that and it has been used at various points in time over the past three years to pass messages from the US and Ukraine and Europe to Russia and vice versa, particularly when it comes to resolving specific problems.'

'But I think what the issue that India and a few other countries as well, Turkiye, UAE, Saudi Arabia, have said is if you want us to play a role, we are there. But so far it looks like Saudi Arabia has been the preferred place for those dialogues. So I think India's doors are open. It really is up to where both sides see a potential role for India to play,' he added.

Asked whether any action is taken in the peace process following the meeting, he responded, 'We don't know. I mean, I think, again, it looks like all sides are making an effort. I think, again, at this point of time, really it's about how Russia responds is really a question. We may have a bit more clarity in the next 24-48 hours, but it remains to be seen. Again, we've had ceasefires as well. There was one recently between Israel and Hamas that has been also quite tenuous. So let's see how this goes.'

Notably, Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an 'immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire,' which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by Russia.

Asked whether the reciprocal trade tariff poses a threat to the Global South and the kind of challenges that the Global South faces currently, Dhruva Jaishankar said, 'There are three sets of issues that matter and which also matter for India. One is institutional reform. Now, the US has already not taken much part in the G20 this year because of South Africa's hosting. They are supposed to be the host next year. So let's see what happens. But the question of broader institutional reform is number one. World Bank, IMF, UN, other major agencies. Second, health, energy and food security. So, the COVID pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, highlighted how this is an issue and where the Global South's concerns are not being often taken into consideration. So that's the second set of issues.'

'The third is climate justice and that's again an issue where the US, under Trump, is less interested in. So I think these are the three sets of issues, as I see, where there's some common agenda for the Global South, which advance Indian interests as well. But you have 100-plus countries, 120 countries that also feel the same way broadly. And this is where I think there will be some effort on the part. The question is, will a US that doesn't play as active a role, will that actually open opportunity? In some cases, maybe. Will it actually be a hindrance? And that will also be true. So that remains to be seen,' he added. (ANI)