Seoul, June 25: India’s Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar is currently concluding a four-day visit to Mongolia and South Korea. At the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity 2026, he emphasized the urgent need for increased international collaboration to tackle global challenges. He highlighted India’s age-old philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is one family) as a guiding principle for fostering a more cooperative world.
Addressing the forum, Jaishankar stated, “Ironically, the challenges we face have intensified the need for unity. Whether it’s a pandemic like COVID-19, incidents of terrorism, or the impacts of extreme climate events, these issues cannot be confined within political borders. International cooperation is essential.”
He further explained, “Since our core identity and decision-making habits are inherently linked to our nations, this does not happen automatically. Therefore, it is crucial to foster openness towards the world. In India, we traditionally refer to this as ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.’ The current turmoil we observe largely stems from societies that challenge this belief.”
Highlighting the challenges facing the international system, Jaishankar noted the increasing use of weapons, rising risk-taking capabilities, and the rapid utilization of resources. He stressed that large-scale international cooperation will be necessary to counter these trends.
He remarked, “Because the interests of a few are openly prioritized, the detrimental effects on many are often overlooked. This can only be addressed by fostering greater cooperation on multiple issues among major players. Ultimately, we will see whether multipolarity truly works.”
Jaishankar outlined five steps to rekindle cooperation in a rapidly dividing world. First, he called for “decoupling the international economy from risks and diversifying production and supply chains,” emphasizing the need for resilience and redundancy to mitigate economic pressures.
Second, he advocated for “building new understandings and closer ties among effective nations.” He stated that such partnerships would help stabilize the global order and resolve issues through agenda-related cooperation.
Third, he stressed the importance of raising awareness about the costs of narrow-mindedness and conflict. He cited the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) as a good example of the need to collectively protect and promote international laws and frameworks.
Fourth, he highlighted the necessity of empowering the Global South to “enhance the power of aspirations.” Jaishankar noted, “This will also create new factors for global development.” Finally, he spoke about the need for common and shared efforts in providing global goods.
Jaishankar concluded, “We cannot rely on a few to uphold the rules. The world must have greater control over its future. This should manifest, among other things, in better multilateralism.”
He asserted that these five factors would create a strong case for closer cooperation between India and South Korea. He mentioned, “We have complementary strengths in areas like shipbuilding, digital technology, health, infrastructure, and defense, which remain untapped. The value of our economic and technological partnership, political and strategic cooperation, and close people-to-people ties were the subjects of my bilateral meetings yesterday.”
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