External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar today stated that QUAD defies all conventional models of institutionalised cooperation, and it has been very innovative because of this. In a conversation at the 3rd Kautilya Economic Conference in New Delhi, the Minister pointed out that it is advantageous that QUAD is not a treaty-based organisation. He said QUAD is one of the key mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific.

The External Affairs Minister stressed that it is important that India is connected to all major players and seen as a country with a greater sense of responsibility to global politics. He emphasised that in today’s day and age, the countries that can make a difference should try and do it. On problems being faced by the world now, Dr. Jaishankar said it is apparent that levels of globalisation have reached a point where it is difficult to contain any serious issue in a region.

Touching on the subject of the UN, Dr. Jaishankar said it is like an old company that is not entirely keeping up with the market but occupying space. He opined that the UN will continue, but there is increasingly a non-UN space, which is the active space.

The Minister noted that artificial intelligence (AI) is going to be the most profound factor in the global order. He compared the current race for AI supremacy to the Cold War-era nuclear arms race. He stressed that whoever has the lead on that is going to enormously benefit in the global order.

The Kautilya Economic Conference brings together around 150 national and international academicians and policymakers to discuss some of the most important issues confronting the Indian economy and economies of the Global South.