India’s Role in an Uncertain World

The world is undergoing a flux - driven by geopolitical, geo-economic and geo-technological developments. In the last four decades, economic and political rebalancing accelerated by globalisation has been driving us towards multipolarity. Today, the global order is visibly under stress, with Asia and the Indo-Pacific very much part of this transformation.
But it is not just change we are seeing; there is also much greater risk-taking. It is visible in the conflict in Ukraine, in violence in the Middle East and the disregard for international law and agreements in Asia and the Indo-Pacific. This has economic facets, perhaps even more concerning.
The supply chain challenge, over-concentrations stemming from globalisation and the use of economic coercion by states have put a premium on resilience and redundancy. Equally important is the technology challenge that has created a new level of inter-penetration and inter-dependence. As a result, the era of AI, EVs, green and clean technologies have brought both hope and anxiety in equal measure. As both market shares and data harnessing are leveraged, national security has become crucial to many economic transactions.
Asia, home to 3 of the 5 largest global GDPs, the 2nd largest number of developing countries, accounting for about 60 percent of the global population and nearly 50 percent of the global trade is deeply impacted by all these trends. But it is also an important player in it. Being at the geographical, demographic and increasingly economic centre of Asia, India’s choices will have increasingly important consequences.
Under PM Modi’s leadership, it initiated the Neighbourhood First Policy for the Sub-Continent. This is a consultative, outcome oriented and non-reciprocal approach that has promoted regionalism by extending credit lines and grants. They have been used for road and rail connectivity, construction of transmission lines, improving border customs infrastructure, enhancing health, education, women empowerment and making provision of essential supplies by neighbors. India continues to focus on enhancing physical, digital and people to people connectivity across the region, augmenting trade and development, and ultimately contributing towards building a secure and stable neighbourhood.
India and ASEAN are neighbours sharing millennia-old cultural and civilisational linkages. ASEAN is at the heart of our Act East Policy that matured into a wider Indo-Pacific vision. We strongly support ASEAN unity, centrality and cohesion. The Trilateral Highway from India to Thailand and beyond, when completed, will literally bring our regions much closer. Synergy between India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP) provides a stronger framework for cooperation. India and ASEAN members also cooperate closely under various sub-regional mechanisms like the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle and the BIMSTEC.
India’s focus on its extended neighbourhood is also expressed westward by intensifying cooperation with Gulf nations. These are today among our top trade, investment and energy partners. Together, they host an Indian community of almost 9 million. They have also shown interest in partnering us in forward looking infrastructure, technology and energy initiatives. It is also noteworthy that the G20 New Delhi Summit in September 2023 saw the launch of the IMEC corridor that would link India to Europe through the Arabian Peninsula. This could help de-risk maritime shipping considerably.
Similarly, India’s extended interests now reach out to Central Asian states in the North and the Indian Ocean ones to the South. Its engagement with Africa has also intensified, especially along the East African coastline. Significantly, the International North South Transport Corridor has made steady progress in providing an alternative channel to access Eurasia and beyond.
The deeper solidarity with the Global South has also been notably expressed in India’s diplomacy. By convening two dedicated Summits in 2023 and taking up the African Union’s cause in the G20, India demonstrated that it was willing to expend diplomatic capital for them. These sentiments are also supported by Indian development projects in 78 nations. Similarly, standing up for their interests on food, fuel and fertilizer access complicated by the Ukraine conflict has sent its own message. This, along with vaccine supply to 99 nations during Covid, has strengthened a bond that has larger political implications.
Today, India seeks to lead by example. The Indian elections underline that democracies can really deliver. That delivery is seen in socio-economic benefits being efficiently distributed on an impressive scale. Whether it is digital delivery of public goods and services or the ease of living, our start-up and innovation ecosystem or ease of doing business, India is now racing to catch-up even while seeking to leapfrog. Our infrastructure progress is also keeping pace. We are building 28 kilometres of highway every day, 14 kilometres of railway track daily, creating 8 new airports and on an average 1.5 metros every year. Alongside, we have doubled the number of our technical and medical institutions.
The transformation of India is critical to strengthening multipolarity in Asia itself, a pre-requisite for a multipolar world. India’s growing weight will ensure that the overall balance in the world order remains in favour of freedom, openness, transparency and a rules-based order. Equally, its greater sense of responsibility and more contributions are also making a difference. Indian naval ships are currently operating in the Red Sea to protect maritime shipping. India has been a First Responder for natural disasters across the Indian Ocean, sometimes even beyond. Its initiatives ranging from solar energy to disaster resilience and bio-diversity have been recognised across the world.
India’s approach to the uncertain world has been shaped by our broadening horizons, widening interests and reformist agenda. We believe that a free, open, safe, secure, peaceful, prosperous and stable Indo-Pacific is a necessary pre-condition for peace, security and prosperity of the world.
In conclusion, let me reiterate that the contours of multipolarity are more visible today, than ever before. The challenges facing the global order has only underlined the importance of cooperation and coordination amongst countries, particularly in Asia. India believes in moving forward through engagement and dialogue, multipolarity and reformed multilateralism. We will work with our Asian partners to realise a secure, sustainable and prosperous future of Asia.
--Excerpts from speech by Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India at Future of Asia Forum 2024

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update July 26, 2024)