India-China Relations Pivotal for Global Future, Says Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasized the significance of the India-China relationship in shaping the future of Asia and the world. He highlighted Asia's role in global rebalancing, leading to a multipolar world, and described the evolving landscape with terms like rebalancing, multipolarity, and plurilateralism.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasized that in a 'multipolar' world, where change is reshaping the global order, the India-China relationship is crucial for the future of Asia and the world. Speaking at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York, Jaishankar underscored India's leadership role in driving this change.

'Asia is at the cutting edge of that change, and India is leading it,' Jaishankar remarked. He added that the ongoing transformation is stretching the fabric of the global order, making the India-China relationship key to the future of Asia. 'If the world is to be multipolar, Asia has to be multipolar,' he said, suggesting that this relationship will influence global dynamics.

Jaishankar also highlighted India's need to rise amid volatility and unpredictability. 'Rising powers typically hope for congenial circumstances,' he noted. The External Affairs Minister used three terms to describe the current global landscape: 'rebalancing,' emphasizing Asia's role in economic shifts; 'multipolar,' indicating the increase in independent decision-making centers; and 'plurilateralism,' pointing to multilateral relations beyond traditional bilateral ties.

(With inputs from agencies.)