KAZAN: Asserting that addressing conflicts and tensions effectively is a “particular need of the day,” external affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday said disputes and differences must be settled by dialogue and diplomacy.
Giving a five point mantra for creating a “more equitable global order,” Jaishankar also called for correcting distortions in global infrastructure that are a legacy of the colonial era, which, he said, must be done with respect for territorial integrity.
Jaishankar made these remarks while representing Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BRICS Outreach session — hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin — in Kazan in Russia on the final day of the BRICS Summit.
“We meet in difficult circumstances. The world must be prepared to think afresh on longstanding challenges. Our gathering is a message that we are indeed prepared to do so,” Jaishankar said.
In his address, he also cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s previously spoken words that “This is not an era of war.”
“Addressing conflicts and tensions effectively is a particular need of the day. Prime Minister Modi has emphasised that this is not an era of war. Disputes and differences must be settled by dialogue and diplomacy. Agreements, once reached, must be scrupulously respected,” the external affairs minister said.
International law should be adhered to, without exception. There should be zero tolerance for terrorism, Jaishankar said at the BRICS Outreach session.
He also said that the “situation in West Asia is an understandable concern,” and there is widespread anxiety that conflict would spread further in the region.
Jaishankar pointed out that the BRICS forum needs to recognise that the benefits of globalisation have been “very uneven”; that the COVID pandemic and multiple conflicts have aggravated the burdens borne by the Global South, and the concerns of health, food and fuel security are particularly acute.
“How do we reconcile this contradiction? How do we create a more equitable global order?” he said and came up with five concrete suggestions.
“By correcting distortions in global infrastructure that are a legacy from the colonial era, the world urgently needs more connectivity options that enhance logistics and mitigate risks.
“This must be a collective endeavour for common good, with utmost respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty,” he said.
