UNITED NATIONS — External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar addressed a high-level UN summit initiated by President António Costa and co-sponsored by India, issuing a stark warning about the mounting pressures on the global order. Pointing to extreme competition, geopolitical friction, and active conflicts, Jaishankar cautioned that leaving these tensions unchecked risks dismantling the very foundation of international cooperation.

A Global Order Under Severe Stress

For decades, the world has witnessed a steady structural rebalancing. However, Jaishankar noted that this evolution has taken on an alarming character due to intense geopolitical rivalry and warfare.

If left unchecked, this trajectory threatens more than just diplomatic relations—it calls into question the core spirit of multilateralism. The EAM underscored that real, tangible issues hang in the balance, spanning international peace and security, climate justice, development finance, countering terrorism, supply chain resilience, and pandemic preparedness.

Safeguarding Collective Efforts and the “4F Crisis”

Emphasizing that global achievements have only ever been realized through collective efforts, Jaishankar called on nations to “safeguard the good while striving for the better”.

He drew special attention to the pressing 4F crisis—Fuel, Food, Fertilizer, and Finance—insisting that these vital pillars cannot be left to drift without intervention. To prevent systemic failures, he outlined critical strategies:

• Frameworks and Guardrails: Establishing rules where new capabilities and security concerns emerge.
• De-risking and Diversification: Actively encouraging supply chain diversification to counteract choke points, dominance, and market disruptions.
• Like-Minded Collaboration: Empowering aligned nations to build confidence and act decisively together.

The Push for Reformed Multilateralism

For multilateralism to move forward effectively, Jaishankar argued that international law, rules, and norms must be scrupulously observed. However, advocacy alone is not enough; the practice of multilateralism must also evolve.

Calling for reformed multilateralism, the EAM highlighted that more participative deliberations and transparent decision-making are long overdue. Such reforms, he noted, would inject the much-needed hope and optimism into the UN system, reinforcing the international community’s resolve to work collaboratively toward a stable future.