External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday hailed India for coming through “solidly” from global shocks that recently tested its resilience, referring to challenges such as the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Jaishankar was speaking at the convocation ceremony of IIM Raipur, where he said that India “managed both domestic and external challenges fairly successfully.” He added that India is now among the top 10 economies and that our society possesses an optimism that is lacking in many parts of the world.
“There is an optimism in our society that is lacking in many other parts of the world. Now you could ask, why is that? The last 10 years have been much better, giving rise to the confidence that the next 10 and those beyond will also be. We are, after all, now among the top five economies. No one can dispute that the multiple global shocks that have recently tested our resilience, and that India has come through that solidly. We have managed both domestic and external challenges fairly successfully,” he said.
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh: Addressing the 15th Annual Convocation Ceremony of IIM Raipur, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, “…No one can dispute that the multiple global shocks that have recently tested our resilience, and that India has come through that solidly. We have managed both… https://t.co/fYHj5X1cl1 pic.twitter.com/N1EpehvdFy
— ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2026
Global order undergoing structural change
Jaishankar also pointed out that the global order is undergoing major changes, with visible shifts in power and influence among countries, describing this turbulence as structural.
“The turbulence in the world currently is also structural in many ways. The global order is changing before our very eyes with visible shifts in the relative power and influence of countries. The politics of some societies find it difficult to come to terms with these changes,” he said.
Technology, resources fuelling global competition
He added that advancements in technology, energy, military capability, connectivity, and resources have increased competition and risk-taking globally.
“New developments in technology, energy, military capability, connectivity and resources have encouraged risk-taking in an increasingly competitive environment. Everything today is being leveraged if not weaponised,” the external affairs minister said.
Call for stronger national capabilities
He emphasised the importance of building robust national capabilities to reduce dependence on other nations, in light of the current situation. He noted that it is the most effective way for de-risking and developing leverage. He further said that self-reliance in some domains might be more difficult than others, and in such cases, the answer lies in trusted partnerships and diverse sourcing.
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“Building national capabilities has become more critical in the light of the global trends that I have mentioned… We must endeavour to build and secure within our control as many capacities as we can. Obviously, some domains will be more difficult than others. In such cases, the answers lie in reliable or trusted partnerships and diverse sourcing. But at the end of the day, there is no getting away from building robust national capabilities. It is the most effective way of de-risking and indeed even developing leverage. And it is at the core of our quest for a Viksit Bharat, one for which people like you bear a particular responsibility.”
He also said that inclusive growth, representative politics, and decisive leadership have laid a strong foundation for higher aspirations.
“More inclusive growth, representative politics, and decisive leadership have created a new foundation from which we can all now harbour higher aspirations. We have not only embraced the digital revolution enthusiastically, but actually purposefully applied it to our lives. Even many developed societies have not done so.”
Speaking to the students, Jaishankar said that they have benefited from access to technology and globalisation, which has connected them to the world, adding that this generation will play a key role in driving the nation’s growth.
VIDEO | Raipur: Addressing 15th Annual Convocation of IIM Raipur, EAM S Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) says, “You have been benefited from a decade of progress, access to technology, and globalisation that has deeply connected me to the world. As India moves forward in its… pic.twitter.com/hjhT8gsotU
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 4, 2026
“You have been benefited from a decade of progress, access to technology, and globalisation that has deeply connected me to the world. As India moves forward in its development journey, this generation will play a key role with our skills driving the nation’s growth. At the same time, you all are graduating in a period of major change, shaped by challenges like the COVID pandemic, global conflicts, and climate change, all of which have significantly impacted all our lives.”
