S Jaishankar urges global dialogue on Ukraine and West Asia, backing peace and anti-terror push

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has declared that war anywhere threatens peace everywhere, calling on the international community to embrace dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. Addressing the Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan in New Delhi on United Nations Day, the minister asserted that India is actively working to foster stability and will not remain a helpless spectator while distant nations suffer the fallout of regional hostilities.

Jaishankar emphasised that the interconnected nature of the global economy means that conflicts thousands of kilometres away impose severe financial and social costs on innocent populations with no say in the fighting. Underlining India's expanding role as a voice of global moderation and stability, he noted that New Delhi remains committed to engaging constructively with international partners to restore peace.

Firmly condemning state-sponsored violence, Jaishankar stated that using terrorism as an instrument of statecraft is simply unacceptable and can never be justified or rationalised. He observed that terrorism continues to persist because certain nations allow short-term political calculations to override a genuine zero-tolerance approach, urging the international community to demonstrate stronger collective resolve.

Addressing economic equity, Jaishankar pointed out that the Global South faces a severe 4F crisis involving finance, fuel, food, and fertilisers. He urged the Global North to recognise its shared stake in resolving these vulnerabilities and called for the urgent de-risking of the international economy to remove market restrictions.

Turning to technological governance, the minister cautioned against leaving powerful advancements such as artificial intelligence in the hands of a few dominant actors. He advocated for a democratic, human-centric framework for technology, reinforcing India's commitment to inclusive progress and global stability.