India A Superpower, Shouldn't Play US Game": Jeffrey Sachs Advises India To Chart Its Own Course For Multipolar World

New Delhi: Jeffrey Sachs, the renowned American economist and UN advisor, has cautioned India against getting entangled in the United States' games, deeming it a superpower that should chart its own course to ensure multilateralism and multipolarity. In an exclusive conversation with Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, Sachs stressed that India should not allow US agencies like the National Endowment for Democracy, the National Democratic Institute, and the National Republic Institute to fund operations within the country, as this is a game of influence and destabilisation played by the US all over the world.

The American economist comes at a time when the world is engrossed with growing concerns over US President Donald Trump's increasingly erratic behaviour, who has been accused of destabilising global politics and economies.

Exclusively talking to Arnab Goswami, Sachs went blunt in describing Trump's actions as "thuggish" and, calling him “a psychologically unstable person” for grossly abusing his power. 

'India Shouldn't Be Playing A US Game'

Calling India a superpower, the UN Advisor suggested that the nation keep its head above the United States' games. He specifically urged to limit India's involvement in the Quad, calling it a "US game" that's not in India's interest. He clearly asserted that the idea that the US, India, Japan, and Australia are working together to contain China is not in India's interest.

Jeffrey Sachs to Arnab: “Well, let me just say if I were any leader in any country or if I were advising them, I would say do not allow the National Endowment for Democracy, the National Democratic Institute, the National Republic Institute, and similar agencies to be funding operations within your country. Because this is a game. This is not some benign role. This is a game of influence. This is a game often of destabilisation. And it's been played dozens and dozens of times. If you know how to watch for it, you can see it, like you say, in so many places. The United States said Imran Khan has to go and within 30 days, he was gone. He's still in jail on absolutely absurd, tragic charges, tragic from his individual point of view. And I think for the stability of this region. And in Venezuela, this was an ongoing project. So this game is played all over the world. It should not be played. It's deadly. This kind of destabilisation has to end. But now Trump says, I don't have to hide it. I'm just king of the world. I can do what I want. I own Venezuelan oil. I want Greenland. Canada's our 51st state. This is very serious. I want people to understand.” 

“India is a superpower. India just needs to keep its head by the United States. But it shouldn't be playing a US game either….The Quad to my mind is a US game…..Absolutely. I don't think there's any role in the world,” he further added.

Jeffrey Sachs Views On BRICS

The renowned economist urged India to focus on building bilateral relationships with countries like China and Russia, rather than relying on the US. He outlined the importance of the BRICS bloc, which he believes represents the future of global stability and multipolarity. 

When asked, would it be fine to just walk out of the Quad and would India's move to quit the group won't provoke Trump, Jeffrey Sachs stated, “The United States has no credible threat on India. India is a superpower. And the BRICS, by the way, I like the BRICS a lot. I think it's extremely important that half the world has come together to say, we want multilateralism. We want multipolarity. We don't want to be bossed around by the United States, we want just a normal world, because the BRICS is actually behaving very responsibly. India has the presidency of the BRICS this year and the BRICS can send a message to the 85% of the world that is not the US and Europe and a couple of other allies.”

'India Is Going To Be In The Top 2 Economies'

Renowned Economist Sachs stressed that Trump's actions are driven by a broken political system in the US, where the military-industrial complex holds major sway. He warned that India's future lies in leading the emerging economies and promoting multipolarity, rather than getting caught up in US-led strategic blocs. 

Responding to Arnab's question, whether the present situation is an opportunity for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to turn the time into India's moment, the American Economist emphasised:

"Of course, I love this country. It should be clearly one of the leaders of global stability because it's a very important country. And it's going to be more and more important. And it's going to be in the top two economies of the world in the next 25 years. And the United States, you're going to look back and it's one-fourth the size of this country and population. And it has no right to boss anyone around, but it can't boss India around. And so all I'm saying is that India, the idea that the US and India and Japan and Australia are working together to contain China is not in India's interest. India's interest is in a bilateral relationship with your counterpart. And I truly believe, by the way, that the issues which have inflamed things between China and India, of course, they date back to 1914 to the McMan line and so forth. These are solvable issues compared to the real stakes in the world today, where India and China have absolutely a common agenda to build a stable, multilateral, multipolar world where the interests of India and China are as aligned as can be."

Jeffrey Sachs' statement paints a concerning picture of the US under Trump's presidency, calling him “a psychologically unstable person”. He believes Trump's actions are reckless and unstable, driven by a broken political system, which shows Trump's gross abuse of power. Sachs pointed out that Trump's abandonment of over 50 treaties and UN organisations, along with his threats and invasions, are symptoms of a deeper issue, a US political system that's no longer functioning under constitutional control.

Sachs expected the Supreme Court to possibly strike down Trump's tariff system, citing gross abuse of power and unconstitutionality. He notes that Trump's actions are not only economically damaging but also violate international law.