New Delhi, July 22: The world is increasingly becoming turbulent, with supply chains, energy, food, and health security as well as maritime cooperation coming under stress and no single nation or grouping can deal with the volatility and disruption on its own, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.
In his address at the India-ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Manila, Jaishankar also reaffirmed India’s support to the grouping’s centrality in the Indo-Pacific.
The ASEAN or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region, and India and several other countries including the US, China, Japan and Australia are its dialogue partners.
In this era of volatility and disruption, the most visible stress is on supply chains, Jaishankar said, adding that energy, food, and health security “can no longer be taken for granted.”
“Because we are also dependent on maritime trade, that too could become a source of anxiety. Observing international law in that regard is therefore vital,” he said.
Jaishankar said it is through deeper cooperation that “we can de-risk and diversify.”
“The world is increasingly turbulent and it is increasingly evident that no single nation or even grouping can deal with it on its own. Let us contemplate the near future and consider how best our cooperation can serve our respective interests,” he said.
At the same time, Jaishankar said both India and ASEAN are optimistic about common vision for development.
“Our eyes must therefore be firmly fixed on opportunities, even while addressing challenges, and there are many of them amongst us and between us,” he said.
“The India-ASEAN agenda today covers trade and investment, mobility and talent, tech, digital and artificial intelligence, green and sustainability, as well as connectivity,” he said.
The external affairs minister said India and the ASEAN have traditionally worked for the welfare of the larger region.
“For India, ASEAN centrality is a key principle. One example of the manner of that working, is the way in which the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific measures with India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative,” he said.
“There are many other domains and examples reflected in activities, numbers and policies. This is a world in transition, and India and ASEAN, who account for two billion, must navigate it together, if it is to remain safe and steady,” he added.
Jaishankar highlighted that the year 2026 is the ‘ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation’ and it is a timely reminder of what “we can do for a more stable and secure future”. (PTI)
