JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 25 (ANI) — External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday called for stronger cooperation between India and South Korea, saying the two nations possess significant complementarities across a wide range of sectors, “from ships to chips,” that can help build a more resilient and cooperative global order.
Delivering the keynote address at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity 2026 during his two-day visit to South Korea, Jaishankar said the international community must adapt to a world marked by fragmentation while finding new avenues for collaboration.
“This forum is discussing a fragmented world as a problem and reinventing cooperation as a solution. I agree with both the diagnosis and the treatment,” he said.
At the same time, Jaishankar noted that fragmentation is likely to remain a feature of global affairs.
“Having said that, let us recognize two facts: One, that fragmentation is here to stay. And two, that perhaps it is not altogether bad, in some ways even good. After all, it means less dominance, more space and greater democratization,” he said.
The minister observed that the modern world is increasingly shaped by economic integration and interdependence, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions.
“What characterizes our current existence above all is the degree of economic integration and interdependence. The world is increasingly about supply chains, their efficiency and their resilience. This is not just about goods; it is equally about resources,” he said.
Jaishankar highlighted the growing role of technology in connecting economies and societies, noting that artificial intelligence is likely to accelerate those trends.
“The advent of AI, artificial intelligence, will only accelerate these trends since the capture of data and the deployment of models is inherently transnational,” he said.
He also emphasized that global challenges such as pandemics, terrorism, and climate-related disasters require coordinated international responses.
“Paradoxically, the challenges we confront have only further strengthened the centripetal side, whether it is pandemics like COVID-19, acts of terrorism, or the impact of extreme climate events. These cannot be contained within political jurisdictions. International cooperation is therefore a must,” he said.
Invoking India’s civilizational philosophy, Jaishankar said, “In India, we know that traditionally as Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the world is a family.”
Warning of the factors driving fragmentation, he said commercial relationships are increasingly influenced by strategic calculations.
“The natural play of commerce is increasingly influenced by calculations of strategy. This spills over into the domain of connectivity as well, whether we think of it as choke points or whether we are talking about specific projects,” he said.
Jaishankar also criticized practices that limit the industrial growth prospects of developing countries.
“The right to industrialize, indeed the capacity and the opportunity to do so, is being denied to many developing states by the manipulation of competitiveness and by restrictions of market access. This is but another facet of exercising dominance and retaining control,” he said.
Summarizing the current global environment, Jaishankar said the world is witnessing increasing “weaponization” across multiple domains.
“The world is today witnessing greater weaponization — weaponization of everything. We are seeing higher risk-taking and a politics that is suited to, and in a way driven by, the social media era,” he said.
“As the interests of a few are openly prioritized, the costs to the many are less considered. This can only be countered, and it must be countered, by cooperation on more issues with greater players.”
The external affairs minister outlined five priorities for reinventing cooperation in a fragmented world: de-risking the international economy and diversifying supply chains; fostering closer cooperation among influential nations; protecting international law and frameworks such as UNCLOS; empowering the Global South through expanded opportunities; and advancing reformed multilateralism.
Linking those themes directly to bilateral relations, Jaishankar said they underscored the importance of stronger India-South Korea cooperation.
“These five factors make a powerful case why India and the Republic of Korea must cooperate more closely,” he said.
“We have complementarities in many fields, from ships to chips, and also health, infrastructure, and defense, which are just waiting to be exploited.”
Jaishankar added that the importance of economic and technology partnerships, political and strategic cooperation, and stronger people-to-people ties had been central to his discussions in Seoul a day earlier, reflecting the growing significance of the India-South Korea partnership in an increasingly fragmented global landscape. (ANI)
About The Author
