India’s strategic interests best served by ‘considered calculation’, not knee-jerk responses: EAM Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said India’s strategic interests amid global turbulence are best served by “considered calculation” rather than knee-jerk responses, stressing the need to continuously assess and fine-tune the country’s strategy as it navigates an increasingly complex international landscape.

Addressing the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) in New Delhi, Jaishankar highlighted the challenges posed by ongoing conflicts, economic volatility, tariffs, dumping and the broader “weaponisation of everything”, saying India must continually adapt as its interests and global responsibilities expand.

“There are two major conflicts currently underway, one in the Gulf and the other in Ukraine. In each case, India has good ties with all the parties involved. Forging an approach is therefore not easy. How to balance out the various equities is a legitimate subject of conversation. The global economy is witnessing the weaponisation of everything. We are also seeing greater volatility in tariffs and increased dumping on other markets. How could that be best countered?” Jaishankar said.

He said India’s expanding interests, wider global exposure and growing network of partnerships require sustained efforts to respond to a rapidly changing international environment.

“India, with greater interests, more exposure, a larger number of partners, and operating in a more complex landscape, will have to constantly apply and reapply itself to this dynamic. Often, the answers are in optimising strategy and responses,” the External Affairs Minister said.

Jaishankar said India’s handling of the current turbulence could be assessed through several indicators, including energy security, exports, supply chains and the safety of Indian citizens abroad.

“If one were to evaluate our strategy in respect of the current turbulence, there are some obvious metrics to arrive at a judgement. Where energy security is concerned, diversification has kept supplies coming and costs down. New partners, new markets and new routings have protected and even expanded our exports. Our supply chains have similarly benefited by nimble solutions. The Indian community abroad has been secured in large measure due to the right policy choices,” he said.

“Even our strategic interests are better served by considered calculation rather than knee-jerk responses. Each of these brings out the importance of continuous debate and dialogue,” he added.

Jaishankar also stressed the importance of ensuring that India’s intellectual engagement with international affairs keeps pace with its growing global role.

“India today engages with a much wider range of countries and regions. Our interests have become increasingly global, our responsibilities have grown, and expectations of India have also risen correspondingly. India is also articulating with greater confidence its perspectives on global challenges, including those that concern the Global South,” he said.

“As India’s global role grows, our intellectual engagement with international affairs must keep pace. While much of the established discourse on international relations has been shaped by concepts and experiences developed elsewhere, a rising India must increasingly bring its own history, experience, interests, concepts, and even terminology to the way it approaches the world,” the EAM added.

His remarks came against the backdrop of a volatile international environment, with conflicts in the Gulf and Ukraine, uncertainty over tariffs, dumping in global markets and the growing use of economic instruments as strategic tools.

He stressed that the complexity of India’s external environment makes continuous debate and dialogue essential to shaping an effective response to global uncertainties.

(With inputs from ANI)