India supports legal mobility, opposes illegal migration: Dr. Jaishankar

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North News

New Delhi, January 23

India supports legal mobility but opposes illegal migration, which is neither desirable nor good for its reputation, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said. “We are supportive of legal mobility. We are opposed to illegal mobility and illegal migration. It is not desirable and not good reputationally,” Jaishankar said during discussions on a range of issues, including the return of individuals identified as Indian citizens.

Jaishankar confirmed that India had agreed to take back 18,000 individuals if verified as Indians. “The operative issue is validation. We must verify that they are indeed Indians,” he said while addressing a press conference in Washington DC.

Commenting on India-U.S. ties under former President Donald Trump’s administration, Jaishankar highlighted the “visible chemistry” between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump. “Levels of trust are very high between India and the U.S. The meeting itself was the message,” he noted, referencing a Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington D.C.

Visa delays of up to 400 days were also discussed. Jaishankar emphasized India’s focus on promoting ease of engagement to strengthen bilateral ties. “The Trump administration showed a clear interest in advancing the relationship,” he added, recalling his initial contact with the National Security Adviser and early calls between Modi and Trump.

Jaishankar reiterated that India had not stopped trade with Pakistan, contrary to claims. “We gave them MFN (Most Favoured Nation) status, but they stopped trade. No talks or proposals have been initiated on trade from their side,” he said.

Jaishankar underscored the collaborative nature of the Quad partnership. “Stocktaking of Quad activities showed animated exchanges of ideas. It is a collaborative effort to keep adding substance,” he said, affirming strong levels of comfort and trust with the U.S.