India / US undeniably 'premier power', can't be indifferent to it: S Jaishankar

New Delhi: External affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar on Monday talked about "quantum shifts" along with more organic changes globally as he presented a case for the centrality of the Indo-Pacific and Quad in today's time. Jaishankar was delivering the annual JG Crawford Oration at the Australian National University.

He said the world is at the cusp of something big and that the Indo-Pacific would be very much at its core.

"The geopolitical turbulence in the Indo-Pacific, the ripple implications of the Afghanistan withdrawal and the larger consequences of the Covid pandemic are three such current examples," he said.

"Those who connect the dots would surely agree that we are really now at the cusp of something big. As we seek to discern the outlines of what emerges next, there is no question that the Indo-Pacific would be very much at its core," Jaishankar said in the virtual address.

Referring to geopolitical developments and challenges, Jaishankar also elaborated on the role of the United States of America and delved extensively into the reality of the strategic recalibration by it, adding the country is "undeniably the premier power of our times and will remain so."

"The US is undeniably the premier power of our times and will remain so. Indeed, such is its centrality to the current order that be it ally, competitor, the agnostic or the undecided, none of us can really be indifferent to its posture," Jaishankar added.

At the same time, he said the American polity is going through a serious introspection and that could well result in a different method of engaging the world.

Jaishankar then talked about the emergence of China on the global stage, which he said saw "impressive growth".

"There are three autonomous aspects to this phenomenon that need considered analysis. The first is the enormous expansion of Chinese capabilities in virtually every field," he said.

"The second is a projection pattern that changed beginning with 2009, and then more vigorously, after 2012. The third – and this was particularly apparent during the pandemic – is China's deep relevance to the global economy," observed the foreign minister.

The external affairs minister also noted that the last two decades have seen a real transformation in India's relations with its three Quad partners: The United States, Japan and Australia.

Jaishankar credited the role of the Indian diaspora living in the US and Australia which represents a "unique bridge between our societies", and regional convergence and natural empathy of democratic societies in ties with Japan as the reason for the Quad's proliferation.

"The Quad nations are all democratic polities, market economies and pluralistic societies. Apart from that natural understanding that it generates, similarity in the structural aspects of their relationships has helped to foster the platform," he said.

In an apparent reference to the need to reform the United Nations and other global bodies, Jaishankar said a 75-year-old world order had run its course and was ripe for change.

"The fate of our region cannot be left, certainly not in a democratic era to the decisions of a few. Those of us who have interests, capabilities and confidence must step forward. If the G-7 could become the G-20, then our region too can surely find a broad-based decision-making process," the foreign minister said.

He added that the Indo-Pacific is at the epicentre of change.