Career diplomat turned EAM Dr S Jaishankar files his nomination as MP from Gujarat's Rajya Sabha seat

Gandhinagar, June 25: Waking ahead to file nomination to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani seeking respectful and appreciative honours.

 

This is immediately after the EAM officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of BJP National Working President J P Nadda at BJP Parliamentary Office in the national capital yesterday. Bypolls of two Rajya Sabha seats were necessitated after Amit Shah and Smriti Irani were elected to the Lok Sabha causing the vacancies.

 

Career diplomat turned EAM, Dr S Jaishankar is the second foreign secretary who have become External Affairs Minister after Natwar Singh. The EAM is also probably the first bureaucrat who has become a cabinet minister so soon after retirement. Also he has been the longest serving Indian ambassador to China and played pivotal role in reinforcing economic, trade and cultural relations between the two countries.

 

As foreign secretary, Dr S Jaishankar was known for his muscular policy with China. EAM shaped India's position on the Belt and Road Initiative, which had led to the boycott of the flagship BRI summit in Beijing.

 

With more than three decades of diplomatic experience Jaishankar attracted limelight during his tenure as Indian ambassador to the US where he played an important role in intensive negotiator between the US authorities and Indian government to mutually handle the diplomatic ties. The Minister used his wide contacts and great tactics with the Washington bureaucracy in order to smooth out the crisis.

 

As external affairs minister, Jaishankar's immediate challenge would certainly be to deal with the trade dispute with US as Washington is soon set to end the preferential trade treatment for India. The minister will also have to balance India's energy security needs and its relations with US over the issue of purchasing oil from sanctions-hit Iran.