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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar represented India as Special Envoy to PM during Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration on Monday, signifying the importance of India-US ties.
EAM Jaishankar representing India at Donald Trump and JD Vance’s inauguration in the US. (S Jaishankar/X)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday that it was “a great honour” to represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of Donald Trump as the US president. Jaishankar represented PM Modi as his special envoy at President Trump’s inaugural function on Monday.
Donald Trump was sworn in for a historic second term as president following which he announced a series of measures including invoking national emergency at southern border and renaming Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America. Jaishankar was offered a seat in the front row alongside Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa, marking a significant upgrade in protocol.
“”A great honour to represent India at the inauguration ceremony of @POTUS President Donald J Trump and @VP Vice President JD Vance in Washington DC today,” he said on X.
Prior to this, the EAM attended the Inauguration Day Prayer Service at St John’s Church on Monday and said he was “privileged” to represent India as Special Envoy of PM at the Swearing-In Ceremony.
He also carried a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for US President Donald Trump, according to a report by news agency PTI.
The external affairs minister’s presence at the presidential inauguration is in line with India’s general practice to send special envoys to attend the swearing-in ceremony of heads of state and government, the sources said.
The EAM also met members of Trump’s administration, including the 56th Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and nominee for the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Kash Patel. He was also seen exchanging a handshake with Vivek Ramaswamy, who quit the newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
He also met the President of Argentina, Javier Milei and conveyed greetings to him from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inaugural events.
Jaishankar’s attendance underscores the importance of India-US relations and the global diplomatic ties shared between the two nations as President Trump begins his second term in office.
(with inputs from agencies)
- Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
