India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar made a veiled reference to United States (US) President Donald Trump’s trade and visa policies, cautioning that sudden shifts, sometimes even a few “tweets,” can drastically alter the global environment.
Speaking at a panel discussion titled “At The Heart of Development – Aid, Trade & Technology,” hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in New York on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Jaishankar underlined the challenges of navigating an increasingly unpredictable world order.
“A few months make a difference, a few weeks make a difference, a few tweets make a difference,” Jaishankar remarked, indirectly pointing to Trump’s frequent public statements and abrupt policy decisions.
His comments came against the backdrop of US tariffs on Indian imports and a steep increase in fees for new H-1B visa petitions, measures that have stirred debate on India–US economic relations.
Why did Jaishankar talk about ‘uncertainty is the new normal’?
Reflecting on the past year, Jaishankar noted that the global system had entered an era of increased volatility and unpredictability. “A few months ago, it was very clear the world was moving towards much greater uncertainty and volatility,” he observed.
He stressed that the very definition of unpredictability means nations cannot rely on past trends to anticipate the future. “What we are seeing is terms are different, times are different. Clearly, it’s disruptive. And so much of it is played out publicly, in the full glare of the spotlight,” he said.
What were his views on supply chains and resilience?
Highlighting how major economies are recalibrating their trade policies, Jaishankar said governments worldwide were reassessing over-dependence on single suppliers or markets.
“When we said let’s de-risk the world and hedge against uncertainty, it meant having more production centres, more resilient and redundant supply chains. We also have to protect ourselves against the uncertainty of market access,” he explained.
He added that the entire economic chain — from connectivity to markets — has become riskier, forcing nations to build strategies to safeguard themselves from unforeseen disruptions.
What did Jaishankar propose on diplomacy amid disruption?
According to Jaishankar, the central proposition in today’s diplomacy is about “how to de-risk, how to hedge, how to become more resilient.”
This, he said, requires governments to create policies and plans that anticipate unforeseen contingencies. “That’s a very big challenge for the entire world,” he warned.
The minister also argued that the era of global unpredictability compels large countries like India to build greater self-reliance, even as they expand international partnerships.
How is India expanding engagement with Latin America?
A day earlier, Jaishankar had highlighted India’s growing outreach to Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasising the need for diversification of economic ties in the face of shifting global dynamics.
“The world will increasingly require a global workforce, and new trade arrangements will emerge despite uncertainties,” he said, noting India’s efforts to expand trade and partnerships in these regions.