NEW YORK: The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly unfolded against a backdrop of deep political divides, volatile trade disputes, and a dangerous resurgence of military brinkmanship. At its center stood Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, carrying the responsibility of representing Bharat while navigating a shifting global order shaped by U.S. tariffs, H1-B visa shocks, and renewed tensions with Pakistan.
De-Risking in an Era of Tariff Volatility
Without naming the United States, Jaishankar delivered one of the sharpest critiques of trade practices heard on the UN floor. “De-risking is becoming more and more necessary,” he said, describing it as a response to “tariff volatility and uncertain market access.” The pointed remark clearly alluded to President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on Indian goods and the steep H1-B visa fees threatening India’s tech sector.
His warning was broader: when powerful economies manipulate rules and over-concentrate markets, they undermine the very global system the UN claims to safeguard. His concern echoed frustrations voiced by other leaders, Brazil’s President decried protectionism as “the new colonialism,” while South Africa’s envoy condemned “weaponized trade.”
Balancing critique with projection, Jaishankar highlighted India’s international responsibilities: deploying peacekeepers, patrolling the northern Arabian Sea against piracy, sending humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and providing affordable medicines and technologies to the Global South.
“In a time when trust in multilateralism is fading, India is showing real solidarity,” he told world leaders. His optimism contrasted with UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s stark warning that “global trust is collapsing,” offering India as a force for stability in a fractured order.
Calling for Security Council Reform
Perhaps his boldest message was on United Nations Security Council reform. “Membership must grow for both permanent and non-permanent members. A revamped Council has to really represent everyone. India is ready to take on more responsibilities,” he declared.
Here, Jaishankar aligned with Japan, Brazil, and Nigeria, who also demanded an expanded and more representative Council. The message was unmistakable: the UNSC still reflects 1945 realities, not 2025, and its paralysis in dealing with crises from Gaza to Ukraine proves the need for urgent reform.
Pakistan Under Fire: Terrorism on an ‘Industrial Scale’
Jaishankar reserved his sharpest attack for Pakistan, calling it the “epicenter of global terrorism.” He said decades of international terror strikes trace back to Islamabad and cited the April massacre of tourists in Pahalgam as a brutal example of cross-border terrorism.
“Terror hubs work on an industrial scale, terrorists are publicly praised, and funding for terror must be cut off,” he cautioned, warning that condoning state-sponsored terrorism risks global blowback.
His remarks came in direct contrast to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s boast just a day earlier that Pakistani jets had “turned seven Indian aircraft into scrap”, a claim New Delhi dismissed as propaganda without evidence. The rhetorical duel underscored how the India-Pakistan rivalry continues to frame international debates on terrorism.
India as Bharat: A Subtle Assertion of Identity
In his speech, Jaishankar repeatedly referred to India as “Bharat.” This was more than semantics; it was a symbolic claim aligned with the Modi government’s emphasis on civilizational self-representation, positioning India as a civilizational state reclaiming space in global diplomacy.
Global Fractures Beyond South Asia
While Jaishankar focused on India’s positions, the wider UNGA was marked by sharper confrontations. Trump defended his tariff offensive, insisting that “fair trade must start with America’s right to protect its workers.” China countered by calling Washington’s strategy “economic coercion.” Meanwhile, African leaders demanded fairer debt restructuring and equitable climate finance, highlighting a widening gulf between the Global North and South.
Against this backdrop, Jaishankar’s intervention was both critique and claim: a critique of distorted trade and outdated security governance, and a claim for India’s place as a pillar of stability, a voice of the Global South, and a candidate for global leadership.
Jaishankar’s address was both fiery and pragmatic. By confronting Pakistan, he reassured domestic audiences of India’s firm stance on terrorism. By urging de-risking and UNSC reform, he projected India as a responsible global actor. And by invoking Bharat’s identity through peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, and technology, he presented a civilizational narrative that went beyond temporary disputes with Trump or Sharif.
The challenge now is whether these words can be converted into tangible diplomatic outcomes—on trade concessions, Security Council reform, or stronger counterterrorism frameworks—or whether they will, like so many past UNGA speeches, fade into the rhetoric of New York’s grand stage.
-Dr. Shahid Siddiqui from New York. Follow X @shahidsiddiqui for updates
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