S Jaishankar urges UN leadership on global crises and 4F challenge facing Global South

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has urged the United Nations to take a proactive leadership role in tackling global instability, warning that developing nations are disproportionately suffering from an escalating crisis across energy, food, and financial supply chains.

Speaking at the Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan to mark UN Day, Jaishankar stated that the world cannot advance while large sections of humanity remain excluded or deprived. He highlighted that nations across the Global South are currently confronting a compounding "4F crisis" — encompassing finance, fuel, food, and fertiliser.

Global challenges outlined by India

Addressing active conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, Jaishankar emphasised that distant economies and societies with no direct role in these disputes are carrying the heaviest burden. He called on the Global North to recognise its equal stake in resolving these disruptions, urging immediate measures to de-risk the international economy and remove market choke points.

On international security, the minister delivered a firm message on terrorism, reiterating India's position that its use as a tool of statecraft is entirely unacceptable. He noted that despite lessons from history, certain nations continue to allow political expediency to interfere with absolute zero tolerance against terrorist networks.

Turning to emerging technologies, Jaishankar described artificial intelligence as "the mother of all change" but warned against allowing its development to remain concentrated in a few hands. He stressed that AI requires a responsible, inclusive, and human-centric governance model to ensure its universal benefits reach societies worldwide.