External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday (November 5) that India’s relationship with the United States had steadily improved over the past five presidential terms, stressing that this strengthening of the bond would continue regardless of the outcome of the ongoing US election.

During a joint press conference in Canberra with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Jaishankar also shared his positive outlook on the future of the Quad, an alliance that includes the US, India, Australia and Japan.

The two ministers were questioned by reporters about concerns about the possible election victory of Republican leader and former President Donald Trump and the potential impact on the effectiveness of the Quad under his presidency.

“In fact, we have seen steady progress in our relationship with the US over the past five presidencies, including a previous Trump presidency. So, as we look at the American election, we are very confident that regardless of the verdict, our relationship with the United States. it will only grow,” said Jaishankar, India TV reported.

“Regarding the Quad, I remind you that it was revived under the Trump presidency in 2017. Then it was moved from the level of permanent secretary to a minister, also during the Trump presidency,” he said.

“And it’s actually interesting, in the midst of Covid, when physical meetings have stopped, one of the rare physical meetings of foreign ministers was actually the Quad in Tokyo in 2020. So I think that should to tell us something about the Quad perspective,” he added.

In 2017, the US, Japan, India and Australia formalized the Quad or Quadrilateral alliance to counter China’s aggressive behavior in the Indo-Pacific.

This alliance, also known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, promotes a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, despite China’s claim that it is trying to limit its rise.

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