‘India Wants Partners, Not Preachers’: Jaishankar Slams Europe’s Hypocrisy

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking at the Arctic Circle India Forum 2025 on Sunday, delivered a sharp critique of certain European nations, emphasizing that India seeks global partners, not moral preachers who fail to uphold abroad what they don’t practice at home.

“When we look at the world, we look for partners, not preachers especially those who don’t apply their own principles domestically,” Jaishankar said, pointedly addressing what he sees as ongoing hypocrisy in parts of Europe. “Europe is going through a reality check. Whether it can rise to the occasion remains to be seen.”

“Europe has entered a certain zone of reality check. Whether they are able to step up or not is something we will have to see," Jaishankar further said. “If we have to develop a partnership, there has to be some understanding, sensitivity, mutuality of interest and a realisation of how the world works."

Jaishankar also highlighted India’s growing involvement in global affairs, stating that the country now has a stake in major geopolitical events, no matter where they occur. He said this heightened awareness is pressuring Europe to adapt to a multipolar world. “The realities of multipolarity are dawning on it. I think it has still not adjusted and absorbed it fully. The US has dramatically changed positions. The Chinese are doing what they were doing," he added.

India’s Role In Arctic

Shifting focus to the Arctic, Jaishankar underscored India’s long-standing engagement in the polar regions, with over 40 years of activity in the Antarctic and a newer but growing presence in the Arctic.

“We had an even earlier involvement with the Antarctic, which is now more than 40 years. We have come up a few years ago with an Arctic policy. We have agreements with KSAT on Svalbard, which is relevant to our space," he said.

As geopolitical tensions rise, he warned that the Arctic’s importance is becoming increasingly global. “The Arctic’s evolving landscape driven by warming, new trade routes, and resource access—is set to reshape global economics. For a rapidly growing India, this matters immensely.”

Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Chairman of the Arctic Circle and former President of Iceland, echoed this sentiment, urging Indian policymakers and economists to factor Arctic resource access into future economic planning as global power dynamics shift.

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