The path the world
faces amidst geopolitical headwinds in the aftermath of developments in Ukraine
has become arduous because of its knock on effect on food and energy security
as well as fertilizer and commodities prices and Logistics and supply chain
disruptions External affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar said
There is much ground to be covered for post-pandemic
recovery.
Dr Jaishankar who
was addressing the foreign ministers of ASEAN Countries in New Delhi said the
Covid-19 pandemic had not fully abated and there is much ground to be covered
for post-pandemic recovery.
The two-day
meeting is being co-chaired by external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his
Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan, who both referred to the fallout
of the war in Ukraine in their opening remarks.
The foreign
ministers of India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) began
a special meeting in New Delhi to review relations between the two sides and to
forge a response to the impact of the Ukraine crisis on the economy and
security of the region.
Dr.Jaishankar
described Asean as a “beacon of regionalism, multilateralism and globalization”
that has carved out a niche for itself in the region and provided the
foundation for the evolving strategic and economic architecture in the
Indo-Pacific.
Asean’s role today is perhaps more important than ever before
'“Asean’s role today is perhaps more important than ever before,
given the geopolitical challenges and uncertainties that the world faces. India
fully supports a strong, unified and prosperous ASEAN, one whose centrality in
the Indo-Pacific is fully recognized,” he said.
A better
connected India and Asean would be well positioned to promote decentralized
globalization and resilient and reliable supply chains that is so needed by the
international community,” Jaishankar said.
Singapore foreign
minister Balakrishnan was more direct in his criticism of Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, saying Moscow’s actions have “upended the international system of
rules and norms and international law which we all depend on and operate on the
basis of”. He added the “sharpening superpower rivalry between the US and China
has direct implications on all of us in Asia”. |