External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that India expresses global sentiment when it urges that dialogue and diplomacy are the only solution for conflicts. He said, India is making efforts itself and is open to working with other partners to that end. Speaking at the Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan this morning in New Delhi, Dr Jaishankar said, there are two major conflicts going on today in the world in Ukraine and in West Asia. He said, societies and economies, peoples far away, who have little say in the matter, are actually paying the cost.
Dr Jaishankar underlined that terrorism is another deadly threat to peace. He said, its usage as an instrument of statecraft is simply unacceptable, it can never be justified and can never be rationalized. The Minister pointed out that terrorism continues because not all states really display zero tolerance. He expressed concern that despite history holding so many lessons, some states still allow political calculations to take precedence. Dr Jaishankar said, the world must therefore develop sharper awareness about this common threat and must come together with stronger resolve to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
He said, progress and prosperity are the flip side of conflict and violence and they too are equally indivisible. The Minister said, the world cannot advance half prosperous and half denied in an era of intricate supply chains, of globalized markets, and of common resources. He said, this is simply a prescription for continuous instability. The Minister said, the Global South today faces a 4F crisis of finance, fuel, food, and fertilizer. He said, the Global North must realize that it has equal stakes in finding solutions.
Dr Jaishankar said, the international economy must be urgently de-risked and nations provided with more diversified options. He said, market distortions through constriction and choke points only add to suffering. He added that a genuine dialogue in this regard is overdue. Dr Jaishankar said, progress is understandably associated with the march of technology and humankind now really stands at the crossroads. He said, AI promises to be the mother of all change, but something so sweeping and consequential cannot be left in the hands of just a few.
The External Affairs Minister further stated that it will go counter to the trends of freedom and democratization that the world has seen over the last 80 years. He said, for this reason, India is a strong advocate of a responsible, inclusive, and human-centric approach. He added that it is a recognition of AI’s universal applicability and of the need to develop a wider perspective.
