New Delhi: External Affairs minister S. Jaishankar will attend the swearing-in ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Sunday (January 12). This comes after Jaishankar received an invitation from the Trump-Vance inaugural committee.>
“On the invitation of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar will represent the Government of India at the Swearing-In Ceremony of President-Elect Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America,” said the MEA press note.>
During his visit, Jaishankar is expected to meet with representatives of the incoming Trump administration, as well as other visiting dignitaries, the press note added.>
The press release was conspicuously silent on whether the invitation for the ceremony on January 20 was in the name of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaishankar would be sent instead.>
So far, foreign media reports have suggested that invitations were extended to heads of state or, in one instance, a former head of state. However, the MEA press release did not specify whether the invitation was addressed to a particular individual or if the recipient was named.>
This development comes after Jaishankar’s recent visit to the US, where he met with Trump’s choice for National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, along with talks with officials from the outgoing Biden administration, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.>
On Monday, the external affairs minister also held talks with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, broadly reviewing the trajectory of India-US global strategic partnership in the last four years under the Biden administration. Sullivan was on a visit to India two weeks ahead of Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the US.>
Also read: Indo-US Nuclear Cooperation is Not Yet on the Fast Track>
The inauguration ceremony will mark the beginning of Trump’s second term as president. J.D. Vance will take oath as the vice president of the United States.
Last month, Trump revealed that he had invited world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, to attend the inauguration of his presidential term – an unprecedented move for this American event.>
Initial reports suggested that Trump had personally extended an invitation to Jinping, sparking a sensation in the US. Throughout his campaign and after his victory, Trump had pledged to impose heavy tariffs on China, as well as on traditional allies like Canada and Mexico.
From the outset, it was evident that President Xi would not be attending the inauguration. Earlier this week, the UK newspaper Financial Times reported that Xi plans to send a special envoy, possibly Vice President Han Zheng or Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The report also noted that Trump’s aides would prefer the envoy to be Cai Qi, a Politburo Standing Committee member who is believed to hold significantly more influence than Han or Wang.>
While much of the focus among foreign invitees was on China, reports in December also indicated that other world leaders, who were from right-wing parties, had also been invited to the inauguration.
Argentinian President Javier Milei’s office confirmed receiving an invitation, while the Ambassador of El Salvador in Washington publicly stated that President Nayib Bukele had also been invited, according to an AP report on December 18. Notably, Milei was the first foreign leader to meet Trump after the election at his Mar-a-Lago club. >
Recently, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her intention to attend Trump’s inauguration but noted that she was reviewing her schedule before finally confirming her participation.>
Meanwhile, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro wrote on X on Wednesday that he has requested the return of his passport, which he had previously surrendered during an investigation into his alleged role in a 2023 coup attempt to stay in power. Bolsonaro explained that he needed the passport to attend the upcoming inauguration ceremony.>
During Trump’s first term, Modi made a concerted effort to strengthen ties, with Trump attending the ‘Howdy Modi’ rally in Houston and hosting him at a massive stadium event in Ahmedabad. However, unlike other world leaders, India has not clarified whether a specific invitation was extended to Modi.>
India is set to host the Quad leaders’ summit later this year, with Trump expected to visit for a second time.>