At the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New York, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar took a firm stance on terrorism. He clarified India’s position, stating that there should be no tolerance or concessions regarding terrorism. He identified terrorism as the biggest threat to global peace and development, emphasizing that countries taking action against it are serving the entire international community.
Jaishankar expressed concern over the current international situation, noting the decline in both peace and development. The deepening crises in energy, food, and fertilizer security are severely impacting Global South nations. He cited the Ukraine war and the Gaza conflict, highlighting how issues such as supply and costs are putting pressure on economies.
He explicitly stated that peace enables development, but undermining development will not establish peace. Jaishankar accused certain countries of adopting double standards at the international level. He mentioned that applying different standards in similar situations makes the path to peace more difficult. According to him, diplomacy and dialogue are the solutions to conflicts, not displays of force or arms races.
The Foreign Minister stressed that the Ukraine and Gaza wars have severely impacted the Global South. He noted disruptions to supply chains and logistics, which have created significant pressure on many countries regarding not only availability but also costs. Jaishankar also questioned double standards and said that peace makes development possible, but obstructing development cannot open the path to peace.
He added that some countries often possess the ability to talk to both sides. Such countries should be involved in the process of restoring peace by the international community and should be encouraged. During this, he also questioned the limitations of the United Nations and other multilateral institutions. He said that the current situation proves that there is an urgent need for reforms in these institutions, including the United Nations.
Jaishankar warned that the message from India is clear: the world can no longer operate with half-measures on issues such as terrorism and conflict. Making energy and resources uncertain is fatal for any economically weak country and makes the path to peace more difficult.