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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 4 COVER STORY October 3, 2025 Declaring The UN Is In Crisis, And Terrorism On The Rise, India’s EAM Jaishankar Demanded Structural Change Saying India Ready For More Responsibilities I n a speech that took several swipes at Pakistan with- out naming that country, demanded global action against terrorism, and pointed fingers at emerging unfair trade regimes, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar drove home the need for reorganizing the international body with a view to meeting new chal- lenges. New Delhi has for years, made the case for permanent membership in the UN Security Council, and did so again, albeit obliquely, indicating it was ready for taking on more responsibility. “An objective report card will show that the UN is in a state of crisis. When peace is under threat from conflicts, when development is derailed by lack of resources, when human rights are violated by terrorism, the UN remains gridlocked. As its ability to forge common ground dimin- ishes, belief in multilateralism also recedes,” Jaishankar said. Central to the erosion of UN’s credibility has been resistance to reform, he said, saying it was imperative to purposefully address the reform agenda. “The historical injustice done to Africa should be redressed. Both permanent and non-permanent mem- bership of the Council must be expanded. A reformed Council must be truly representative. And India stands ready to assume greater responsibilities,” said Jaishankar, a point New Delhi has been making for many years, and being stymied by members like China in the Security Council, who hold veto powers. India approach to the contemporary world is guided by three key concepts, Jaishankar said, Atmanirbharta or self-reliance, Atmaraksha or national security, and Atma- vishwas or self-confidence. National security means “zero-tolerance for terror- ism, robust defense of our borders, forging partnerships beyond and assisting our community abroad,” Jaishankar told the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Sept. 27, 2025. “As the most populous nation, as a civilizational state, as a rapidly growing major economy, we are confident about who we are, and what we will be. Bharat will always maintain its freedom of choice. And will always be a voice of the Global South,” Jaishankar pledged. Mincing no words, Jaishankar challenged the world body: “We must ask ourselves today: how has the UN lived up to expectations?” Pointing to Ukraine and Middle East as flashpoints, the slow progress in achiev- ing Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 20230, which “presents a sorry picture,” he went further, without naming the United States, pointed toWashington as the source where climate action itself is being questioned. The Covid pandemic exposed the discrimination in access to vaccines and to travel; energy and food security have been casualties of this discrimination; and countries have “gamed rules and regimes” in the area of trade”, Jaishankar maintained. “On top of that, we now see tariff volatility and uncer- tain market access,” he noted. All these changes require more international cooperation not less, he urged. He slammed Islamabad without naming it, as the “epi- center” of terrorism. “Countering terrorism is a particular priority because it synthesizes bigotry, violence, intolerance and fear,” he said, adding, “India has confronted this challenge since independence, having a neighbor that is an epicenter of global terrorism. For decades now, major international terrorist attacks are traced back to that one country. UN’s designated lists of terrorists are replete with its nation- als,” Jaishankar pointed out. He reminded the audience of the most recent example of cross-border barbarism— the murder of innocent tourists in Pahalgam in April this year. He called for “much deeper” international cooperation against terror- ism. “When nations openly declare terrorism as state policy, when terror hubs operate on an industrial scale, when terrorists are publicly glorified, then such actions must be unequivocally condemned,” he declared. “The financing of terrorismmust be choked, even as promi- nent terrorists are sanctioned. Relentless pressure must be applied on the entire terrorism eco-system. Those who condone nations that sponsor terror will find that it comes back to bite them.” India was doing its part to make the world a better place, Jaishankar contended. “That is why we have un- dertaken more than 600 major development projects in 78 countries, as well as innumerable community-based initiatives. They range from large infrastructure to small livelihoods, from capacity building to people’s welfare, from concrete assets to education and training.” Whether it is finance, food, fertilizer or fuel, India has responded to the urgent requirements of its neighbors, and been a ‘First Responder’ when essential medicines or relief supplies were needed; built field hospitals in 19 nations last year, assisted Afghanistan and Myanmar during recent earthquakes. He went into some detail describing India’s storied history in UN Peacekeeping Operations which continue in the Democratic Republic of Congo, inWestern Sahara, Central African Republic, Golan Heights, Cyprus, Leba- non, Abyei, South Sudan and Somalia. “To put it clearly: our soldiers ensure peacekeeping, our sailors protect maritime shipping, our security coun- ters terrorism, our doctors and teachers facilitate human development the world over, our industry produces affordable products, our techies promote digitization and our training facilities are open to the world. These remain the core of our foreign policy,” Jaishankar said. On resolving the Ukraine conflict, he said, “Nations who can engage all sides must step-up in the search for solutions. India calls for an end to hostilities and will sup- port any initiative that will help restore peace.” By a StaffWriter PHOTO:X@DRSJAISHANKAR India’s EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar addresses the 80th session of the UN General Assembly Sept. 27, 2025. Technology, Multi-Polarity, Self-Reliance Part Of One Basket: India’s EAM Jaishankar On Global Developments I ndia’s External Affairs Minister S Jais- hankar speaking at a panel discussion by the ORF entitled, ‘At The Heart of Development- Aid, Trade & Technol- ogy’, spoke about the responses to global developments, the changing approach to- wards a workforce for the global economy and different trade arrangements which will arise globally. He shared how nations must build ca- pacities and how they can be transposable to people who relate to them. Speaking about the response to the challenges in the evolving world, Jais- hankar said, “Technology, multi-polarity, self-reliance, south-south cooperation are part of one basket, which is a response to what is happening.” He said that it is important for large countries to build capacities, be more self- reliant, and that it is the focus for India. “You have to build multi-polarity by building national capacities. When you build national capacities and have na- tional experiences, some of it is transpos- able to people who relate.” Jaishankar gave the example of DPI and said, “There are many societies which find the Indian model of DPI far more absorbable and relevant than a European model or an American model.” Speaking about the global workforce, Jaishankar said, “This world will require a global workforce”. Noting that while housing and location may be a political debate, “There is no looking away that when you look at the demand and demograph- ics, demands cannot be met due to national demographics, you cannot run away from this reality.” Jaishankar highlighted that a big ques- tion which the international economy has toaddress today is how to create a more acceptable, contemporary, efficient model of a global workforce which is then located in a distributed global workplace. In his conversation, he elaborated about trade and noted that it does find a way much easier in the present day and age due to physical and digital reasons. “There are much smoother trade inter- faces than there have been in human exis- tence despite the obstacles which arise.” “As a part of this re-engineered world, we will see new, more, different trade arrangements between countries, which will make decisions that were not made in other circumstances” “Countries will feel the desire and com- pulsion to have new partners, regions. Technology, trade, connectivity, workplace-wise end up in a very different world in a very short while.” EAM Jaishankar is in the US where he spoke earlier at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in NewYork. -ANI