External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said the competitive aspects of ties between the two leading players —the US and China — have significant bearing on changing global order and this reality has to be taken into account while...

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said the competitive aspects of ties between the two leading players —the US and China — have significant bearing on changing global order and this reality has to be taken into account while managing some key contradictions in today’s times.

He said this at the inaugural session of Raisina Middle East conclave in Abu Dhabi. He is currently on a two-day (January 27 to 29) visit to the UAE.

Jaishankar highlighted key facets of the changing global order, such as the over-concentration of manufacturing in specific regions, the growing influence of the digital world, the weaponisation of market shares, finance and technology, as well as the emergence of re-globalisation centred on national interests and identities. He noted the rise of a global workplace and the redistribution and regionalisation of power.

“In today’s era, countries are more interdependent and interconnected, even as the ‘global village’ concept has been firmly rejected,” Jaishankar said.

Discussing India’s strategic ties with Gulf countries, he emphasised their importance, citing annual trade of $160–$180 billion. “Energy is the most visible dimension, but our engagement extends to projects, technology, education, health and services,” he added. With over 9 million Indians living and working in the Gulf, he said the region also serves as a gateway to MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and the Mediterranean, where annual trade stands at $80 billion.

“Our diaspora in the Mediterranean region is close to half a million. We have key interests in fertilisers, energy, water, diamonds, defence and cyber. Projects span airports, ports, railways, green hydrogen, steel and submarine cables. This geography is a crucial link between the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic,” he explained.

Jaishankar underscored the historic symbiosis between India and the Gulf and commented on shifting dynamics in the US. He observed that many in the US believe its potential has been constrained by external regimes and exploitation of the international system. “As a result, competition is set to overshadow collaboration in global affairs,” he remarked.

Finding common ground among nations will be challenging, he noted, predicting that global governance will become more “plurilateral”. Nations will form alliances based on specific agendas, while the outdated and gridlocked multilateralism will further fuel these trends.

Meanwhile, Jaishankar also met Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Earlier in the day, he also met Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President.

Courtesy: The Tribune India : 29th Jan, 2025