EXTERNAL Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that India, with greater interests, more exposure, a larger number of partners and operating in a more complex landscape, has to constantly apply and reapply to the changing dynamic. In his address at the inaugural session of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) in New Delhi, EAM Jaishankar said India has good ties with all the parties involved in the conflicts taking place in the Gulf and Ukraine and emphasised that forging an approach is not easy. “There are two major conflicts currently underway, one in the Gulf and the other in Ukraine. In each case, India has good ties with all the parties involved. Forging an approach is therefore not easy. How to balance out the various equities is a legitimate subject of conversation. Or let me give you another example: the global economy is witnessing the weaponisation of everything. We are also seeing greater volatility in tariffs and increased dumping on other markets.

 

How could that be best countered? Another subject for discussion, or let us take competition itself, it is now taking an extreme form with less restraint and higher risks,” he said. “What can be done to deter, to avoid, to mitigate? Clearly, much food for thought here. The point I’m making is that an India with greater interests, more exposure, a larger number of partners, and operating in a more complex landscape will have to constantly apply and re-apply itself to this dynamic. Often, the answers are in optimising strategy and responses rather than taking black-and-white positions,” he added. EAM Jaishankar noted that ICWA since its establishment has been studying and promoting international affairs. He recalled that the Indian Parliament’s designation of ICWA as an institution of national importance recognised its distinctive contribution to India’s intellectual engagement with the world.