External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the global order is currently under stress and called for multilateralism to assert itself strongly amid growing geopolitical competition, tensions and conflicts, while stressing the need for reforms to make international institutions more participative and transparent.
Addressing the inaugural Partners for Multilateralism Summit on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Jaishankar said the international community was facing a period of significant structural change accompanied by heightened competition and geopolitical tensions.
“We meet at a time when the global order is under stress. For some decades the world has witnessed a steady rebalancing, which was a long-expected structural evolution. However, extreme competition, geopolitical tensions, and actual conflicts have given this an entirely different character,” Jaishankar said
He cautioned that if these trends remained unchecked, they could undermine the principle of international cooperation and stressed the importance of strengthening multilateralism.
“If left unchecked, it would call into question the very spirit of international cooperation. That is why it is so essential that multilateralism asserts itself strongly at this juncture,” he said.
Stress on global peace and security
The External Affairs Minister said the challenges facing the international community extend beyond diplomatic rhetoric and have direct implications for global peace, security and development.
“At stake here are very real issues, not just words and expressions. The future of peace and international security, of climate action and climate justice, of emerging technologies and development finance, of countering terrorism and strengthening supply chains, and of ensuring disaster resilience and preparing for pandemics. All depend on a will to cooperate,” Jaishankar said.
He emphasised that many of the achievements of the international system had been possible because of collective efforts and called for preserving existing gains while working towards further improvements.
“Let us recognise that whatever we have achieved so far is only through collective efforts. The lesson here is to safeguard the good while striving for the better,” he said.
Addressing global challenges
Jaishankar also highlighted the need for practical and targeted responses to ongoing conflicts and global disruptions rather than waiting for comprehensive solutions before addressing immediate challenges.
“That objective can be realised through a range of efforts, through a combination of initiatives, while ongoing conflicts are concerned, specific dimensions could be addressed even while we strive for a broader peace,” he said.
He referred to the challenges surrounding fuel, food, fertiliser and finance, saying they could not be left unaddressed. “The four ‘F crisis’ of Fuel, food, fertiliser and finance cannot be left to itself,” Jaishankar said. He also underlined the need for international frameworks to respond to emerging technologies and new capabilities, as well as measures to reduce vulnerabilities in global supply chains.
