Kolkata (West Bengal): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said the Ukraine conflict has dramatically increased the scope of political leverage, with trade, credit and even tourism being weaponized as pressure. Is. Delivering a lecture at IIM Calcutta, Jaishankar said that today a major change is taking place in international affairs which is very important to understand. “It stems from the armament of everything. In recent years, we have already seen, how trade, connectivity, credit, resources and even tourism have become points of political pressure. has dramatically expanded the scope of such benefits,” Jaishankar said on the topic “India and the World”.
Jaishankar said the scale of the measures, technology controls, infrastructure and service restrictions and confiscation of assets are indeed breathtaking. “The scale of the measures, the technology controls, the infrastructure and service restrictions and the confiscation of assets, has been truly breathtaking.
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At the same time, it is also a fact that global rules and practices have been framed for national benefit, which can no longer be ignored.” The minister said that intensifying great power competition inevitably creates tension factors. There has been many domains. “At one level, it cautions about international risk but beyond a point that cannot be secured because the nature of existence is now globalized,” he said.
The weaponization of everything is causing a big change in international affairs. Trade, connectivity, credit, resources and even tourism have become points of political pressure. The game of global rules and practices for the sake of national advantage can no longer be ignored. – Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) 2 November 2022
The foreign minister described the globalized era as a “double-edged world” and said it is difficult to separate vulnerabilities from benefits from dependencies or risks.
“The dynamism that COVID brought into our homes was otherwise such a great source of livelihood for so many people. The supply chain that created disruption when it didn’t work was a boon,” he said.
Speaking on India’s thrust on the digital front, Jaishankar said that the last few years have forced all of us to go digital. The distribution whether it is food, finance, health, pension or social benefits… its scale talks a lot in the world,” he said.
Jaishankar said the world is “moving not only towards a different model of global dialogue, but also towards greater national opportunities.” “In India, we know that as an Atmanirbhar Bharat, there is no longer any question that foreign policy has deeply personal implications for all of us as it affects many aspects of our lives,” he said. .
He added that concepts like “trusted providers” will gain momentum in the coming days. “As before, foreign policy is the continuous exercise of building power and exercising influence for national or collective endeavours,” he said.