S. Jaishankar to Attend Trump’s Swearing-In: Why Isn’t PM Modi Attending?

India's S Jaishankar will attend US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20.

"On the invitation of the Trump-Vance inaugural committee, External Affairs Minister 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," the Ministry of External Affairs announced Sunday, announcing the visit.

S Jaishankar in America

As stated by the MEA, "The External Affairs Minister will also have meetings with representatives of the incoming administration, as well as some other dignitaries visiting the US on that occasion during the visit."

Foreign Leaders Invited in Trump’s Oath Ceremony

It is for the first time in US history that foreign leaders will be present during the oath-taking of a US president. As per the official sources, the oath-taking ceremony of Donald Trump is set to take place on January 20. According to reports, Trump's team has already extended invitations to Argentine President Javier Milei, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Reports from Washington indicate that Xi is likely to send a high-level ambassador to represent him, but others are anticipated to join.

The invitation list also includes former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, another figure known to have similar views to Trump. 

PM Modi Invited or Not?

The news that Jaishankar will be attending comes amid a lot of conjecture, particularly on social media, over whether Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also be invited. Government sources did not confirm if the invitation was meant for the PM or if Jaishankar was attending on his behalf.

What does Trump’s Govt Mean for India?

The new government has emphasized that improving Indo-US relations is a shared goal, with support from both political parties. However, the formation of the Trump government in America comes with its own difficulties for the Indian government, like its stance over tariff rates or the issue of illegal migration. It is yet to be seen how both governments are going to tackle these problems.

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