External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke about the changing global landscape, India's foreign policy choices and its relations with China and Pakistan at the NDTV World Summit. He also shared a personal detail about his current Netflix viewing choice.
‘Turbulence And Volatility Are New Realities'
S Jaishankar said turbulence and volatility have become new realities in the world. He noted that global uncertainty is now taken into account in India's decision-making, comparing international policy to portfolio management.
He said countries can no longer afford to “put all our eggs in one basket” and described the present global environment as “a world of chokepoints”. He also noted that nations are showing less reticence and greater responsibility, while India is building relationships around strategic chokepoints.
India's Lost Opportunities
Jaishankar said India lost three development opportunities between the 1960s and 1990s, while China used the 1980s and 1990s to develop itself. He said India is now playing catch-up on the opportunities it missed during that period.
ALSO READ | Jaishankar On US' Tariffs: India-US Trade Deal Near, But Challenges Remain
On terrorism, Jaishankar stressed that India must first understand the fight against terrorism before anyone else. He said countries will be judged by their actions in the future and added that there is scope for nations to come together and help each other.
India, US And Russia-Ukraine
Discussing the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar said the United States is a logical party to mediate between Russia and Ukraine.
On China, he said India had maintained a status quo with Beijing from the 1980s until 2020. The Galwan incident in 2020 impacted that status quo. He said peace has been restored along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since Galwan, while India continues to face some other issues with China.
‘Cannot Ignore Terrorism When It Comes To Pakistan'
Jaishankar said India has always wished to have better ties with Pakistan but made it clear that terrorism cannot be ignored when it comes to the neighbouring country.
He said the national mood towards Pakistan changed after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, marking a significant shift in how the country viewed its relationship with Pakistan.
S Jaishankar On ‘The Diplomat'
During the interaction, Jaishankar also shared a personal detail about his current viewing choice. The External Affairs Minister said he is currently watching The Diplomat on Netflix.
ALSO READ | Gautam Singhania Unveils Raymond 3.0 With 22 Senior Hires, Says Succession Plan Is Complete
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.