EAM Jaishankar to attend Donald Trump's oath taking ceremony on January 20

Last month, Jaishankar was in the US to kickstart high-level engagements between the incoming Trump 2.0 administration

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent the Indian government at the swearing-in ceremony of Donald Trump as the US President on January 20.

 

In a statement released on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "During the visit, EAM will also have meetings with representatives of the incoming Administration, as also some other dignitaries visiting the US on that occasion."  Last month, Jaishankar was in the US to kickstart high-level engagements with the incoming Trump 2.0 administration. In his six-day visit to the US from December 24-29, Jaishankar also met high-ranking officials of the outgoing Joe Biden administration, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and reviewed the advancement of the US-India partnership in the last four years.

 

 

Donald Trump, who won a historic mandate in the November 2024 US presidential elections, will take oath for the Oval Office for the second time. His deputy, JD Vance, will also take oath as the Vice President of the United States. The inauguration ceremony is set to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr Day, a federal holiday.  While there is no confirmation about the attendees at the inauguration, reports have surfaced that several world leaders are expected to attend the event. These include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentinean President Javier Milei, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, and Hungarian PM Viktor Orban.  The swearing-in ceremony will begin at 12.00 pm EST (10.30 pm IST) on January 20. 

Trump's tariff warning

 

After winning election, Trump has set the stage for a potential trade conflict with several countries, including India, by threatening to impose reciprocal tariffs if these countries continue to levy high taxes on American goods.

 

“The word reciprocal is important because if somebody charges us – India, we don’t have to talk about our own – if India charges us 100 per cent, do we charge them nothing for the same?” Trump said last month.  According to a report in The Economic Times, the Indian government is conducting a sector-wise analysis of a possible hike in US tariffs after Trump’s threats. Various ministries and government departments are examining trade scenarios, considering such a move by the US and possible remedies.

 

Trump has also criticised trade practices with China, Mexico, and Canada, America's key trading partners. He plans to impose a 25 per cent tariff on imports from these countries unless they address issues such as illegal drug trafficking and illegal migration.