How US Pulled Off A Mission Defining Security Operation For Jaishankar During Government Shutdown

A US government shutdown rarely makes room for diplomacy. But when India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited North America last November, Washington broke that rule. With flights cancelled and services frozen, US security agencies crafted what they later called a “bold contingency plan” to ensure Jaishankar’s safety. After concluding the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Canada, Jaishankar was driven across the US-Canada border and escorted in a seven-hour, high-security interstate motorcade to New York. Twenty-seven elite agents from multiple units were mobilised. Coordination spanned Indian diplomats, Canadian police, US border officials, and explosive response teams. Even a K9 alert on the armoured vehicle did not derail the operation. The convoy reached Manhattan on schedule, allowing Jaishankar to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as planned. The US State Department later framed the mission as disciplined execution under pressure. For India, the episode highlights its growing global stature and the strategic importance Washington attaches to New Delhi, even amid domestic disruption.