External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressed the inaugural Aravalli Summit at JNU on October 6, 2025, marking 70 years of the School of International Studies (SIS). He described India’s rise as "an exceptional journey unfolding in a turbulent global era," highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities facing the nation as it prepares for its centenary of independence in 2047. He also called for strategic autonomy and intellectual renewal towards 2047.

Jaishankar reflected on JNU's influence during his academic years and diplomatic career, noting the importance of SIS since India’s re-engagement with the world post-independence. He urged SIS to “shift gears” and take a leading role in fostering ideas and narratives aligned with the vision of a developed India or "Viksit Bharat".

He emphasised that India’s rise is unfolding amid unprecedented global turbulence. Comparing current geopolitical and economic shifts to past post-World War transformations, Jaishankar said, "It seems almost glacial in comparison to the mega changes that we are witnessing today." This includes the concentration of a third of global manufacturing in one region, anti-globalization sentiments, tariff volatility, energy transitions with the US as a major fossil fuel exporter and China leading renewables, and the weaponization of technology and finance.

Highlighting the transformation in warfare, Jaishankar noted that modern conflict has become more stand-off, impactful, and risk-prone due to advances in weaponry and technology.

The minister cautioned about erosion of sovereignty facilitated by technological penetration, data manipulation, and the revisiting or discarding of global rules and regimes, underscoring a shifting landscape where cost alone no longer defines economic transactions but ownership and security likewise matter.

Jaishankar strongly defended India's foreign policy doctrine of strategic autonomy. He argued this autonomy strengthens India’s ability to choose freely among global options rather than joining exclusive blocs. “The more turbulent and unpredictable the global order becomes, the stronger the case for multi-alignment or strategic autonomy,” he stated, urging an independent approach to global engagement that maximises India's national interests and options.

He described the current world as witnessing "more competition and less compacts," where interests intersect rather than naturally cooperate. In this context, India must strategize to "continue rising amidst such volatility," safeguarding its interests while advancing up the global hierarchy. The minister emphasized that India’s rise would be propelled by demand, demographics, and data.

Elaborating on India’s neighbourhood policy, Jaishankar highlighted the “neighbourhood first” approach and the need for India to be the "go-to option for any crisis in this subcontinent." Recognizing multiple neighbors, including some less friendly, India’s best strategy for de-hyphenation is to outpace those neighbors in power and capability.

Jaishankar concluded with a call for renewed academic engagement. He urged SIS and scholars to create the intellectual tools—ideas, concepts, narratives—needed for India's journey toward 2047. He expressed confidence in SIS’s continuing role in strengthening India’s global vision and leadership.

This comprehensive address outlined India’s foreign policy approach amid a transforming global order, emphasizing strategic autonomy, multi-alignment, economic resilience, and intellectual readiness for the country's ambitious future. The Aravalli Summit provided a platform for discussions essential to framing India’s path forward by its centenary year.

Based On ANI Report