India doesn't need crutches in foreign policy, says former envoy Jawed Ashraf amid trade row with US
Sep 06, 2025
Rejecting the notion that India must align itself with competing global blocs, Ashraf said, "Indians and India need to get out of this mindset that either we have to be in one camp or we have to be in another camp. We are not a small, weak country that needs these crutches in our external relationships. We are a country that can stand in our corner, act in accordance with our values, our principles, and our interests, and have the capacity to conduct our relations with not just major powers, but even if they have differences among themselves, but we will deal with each relationship on the strength of its merit. And it is true of every relationship that we have. We never act against one country for another country or on behalf of one country against another."