'Nature of War Has Changed': Jaishankar Cites Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Iran Conflicts in 'Turbulent Times', Reflects on US-China Ties

Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said that the nature of war has changed in the current era, citing the conflicts between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Ukraine and Russia, and Israel and Iran to highlight the "turbulent times" the world is experiencing.

Speaking at the 4th Kautilya Economic Conclave, Dr. Jaishankar said, "Today, the nature of weaponry, the nature of war has fundamentally changed. We have seen that in multiple conflicts, starting with Azerbaijan-Armenia, Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Iran; so, contactless war, often with standoff weapons, but which can have a very impactful, sometimes even a decisive outcome. These are today the characteristics of the landscape of these turbulent times. The sentiment that characterises the turbulent times is a growth in the opposition to globalisation in many parts of the world."

At the conclave, the Minister of External Affairs also emphasized the need for nations to be self-sufficient.

"One of the significant changes in recent years is that the United States, which for decades was concerned about its external energy dependence, has not only become self-sufficient but is now a major energy exporter, making it a key part of its strategic outlook. Just as the US has emerged as a champion of fossil fuels, China has established itself as a leader in renewables. Whichever path you take, all roads eventually lead to renewables," he said.

However, he also reflected on the tendency of nations to foster competition across various dimensions, such as connectivity, finance, resources, technology, and warfare, intending to weaponise everything, thus, leading to rivalries.

"We have also seen in a few cases, in the cases of major polities, that their belief in balance for power is probably much less. They seem to think that they may not need the rest of the world as much as they did before. So, if they have margins of power, they are prepared to exercise those margins in pursuit of their policies and actions. We have seen overall the global needle move much more towards competition...That global needle is moving because there is today a tendency to weaponise almost everything and that if a State has a tool in its toolkit, there is much less reticence, particularly on the part of major powers to use that," he said.

Jaishankar also reflected on political realities and acknowledged the impact of the US-China relationship on the world.

"Clearly, what we can see is that the US-China relationships in many ways are going to influence the direction of global politics," he said.

"In the case of the United States, it is not only more assertive but it has encouraged its national interest goals to drive its approach towards partnerships and cooperation. In the case of China, this change perhaps catches them at a time when many of the new concepts, mechanisms, institutions that they were pushing are not yet in place. But clearly, what we can see is that the US-China relationships in many ways are going to influence the direction of global politics," he further said.

Speaking about the challenges faced by Europe, he said, "In the case of Europe, what was a sweet spot in terms of US-Russia-China, US - security, Russia - energy, China - trade, has actually got turned around and every one of those aspects today, has become a challenge."

Clarifying India's position, he said that India aims to establish “productive relationships” with other nations, even amid an ever-changing geopolitical landscape.

"The posture that India adopts is to have as many productive relationships as possible. But to make sure that none of them are exclusive and result in the denial of opportunities in other relationships. So, how do we actually practice this multi-alignment or multiple relationships with different agendas and with different partners, sometimes in different regions? This is really the external challenge...In my view, we have laid a very solid foundation in the last decade. I think these 5 years, given the international environment, will test us like it will test every other country in the world. But I think it is a test where we approach it with a degree of confidence, firmness and hope that this approach will give us the results that we need."

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