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EAM Jaishankar highlighted the growing unpredictability in global affairs, noting that even brief public statements, like a few tweets, can rapidly shift international dynamics.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (Photo: PTI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday highlighted the challenges of navigating an increasingly volatile global environment, reflecting on lessons learned over the past year.
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His remarks, at a panel discussion on the sidelines of UNGA80, resonated with recent global events, including US President Donald Trump’s tweets.
“A few tweets make a difference,” Jaishankar observed, pointing to how sudden public statements can escalate tensions or reshape international agendas within hours.
“I think a year ago, certainly a few months ago, it was very clear that the world was moving towards much greater unpredictability, volatility, uncertainty,” the External Affairs Minister said, on being asked about how power and vulnerability may have affected India.
“Use whichever word you prefer. When you predict something like that, people say. Okay, so you predict what that means.”
“Now, by very definition of unpredictability, you don’t know what you’re heading towards. It’s not an extrapolation of what has been there in the past. Clearly, it’s disruptive. But again, you know, the human mind, like, for example, people felt in unpredictability that it will be a variant, for example, of somebody’s second, you know, first term would be different, a first term and then what happens.”
“But what we are seeing is terms are different. Times are different. A few months make a difference. A few weeks make a difference. A few tweets make a difference. So, actually, it’s really quite, I would say, an experience for the world to go through this level of policy changes, of practical impact of that,” Jaishankar remarked.”
“And also the fact that so much of it is done so publicly, you know, that it’s played out in the full glare of the spotlight. So that’s one part of it.”
“So, you know, you worry about over-dependence on markets just as you worried on over-dependence on suppliers or over-dependence on connectivity. So you could say, in a sense, almost the entire economic chain has become far more riskier or far more difficult really to assume in many ways,” he said.
“So I would say today the central proposition probably in diplomacy, in international relations is, how do you de-risk, how do you hedge, how do you become more resilient, how do you safeguard yourself against unforeseen contingencies, which again I emphasise, by definition are unforeseen. And really sort of build policy and build, in a sense, plans around that. And that’s a very big challenge for the entire world,” the External Affairs Minister said.
A day before, Jaishankar had said the world will increasingly require a global workforce and new trade arrangements would emerge despite uncertainties, as he underscored India’s expanding engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean to diversify economic ties amid shifting global dynamics.
India, he said, is already engaging with regions like Latin America and the Caribbean, “aiming to expand trade and partnerships even further”.
The minister stressed that in “this turbulent atmosphere”, particularly for large countries, it is important to build capacities for greater self-reliance.
ALSO READ | UNGA Erupts In Applause After Jaishankar Calls Out Pakistan On Terrorism | Watch
About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
September 29, 2025, 10:21 IST
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