‘Need Order In The World’: S Jaishankar On Strong UN, Kashmir Issue And Importance Of International Order In Raisina Dialogue 2025

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has strongly emphasized the need for a fair and strong international order, much like the domestic order within a country. Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi, he criticized the United Nations for turning the Kashmir invasion into a dispute and treating both the attacker and the victim as equals. He also called the presence of Pakistan in parts of Kashmir as “the longest standing illegal occupation” of any territory since World War II.

Importance of a Global Order

During a session titled ‘Thrones and Thorns: Defending the Integrity of Nations’, Jaishankar discussed the need for a structured global order. When asked about his previous remarks on the dangers of an anarchic world, he explained that all countries—big or small—benefit from an established international framework.

“Just like we need order in a society, we need order in the world. Any country, big or small, that takes extreme risks or tests the system can use disorder to its advantage,” he said.

He added that while the existing global order served its purpose, it was often unfair. He pointed out that rule-makers and rule-followers viewed things differently.

“I think the virtues of the old order were exaggerated. Those who created the rules and those who followed them had different perspectives,” he said.

Criticism of Global Double Standards

Jaishankar accused the West of applying different standards when dealing with conflicts and political interference in different countries. He highlighted the case of Afghanistan and how the global community had changed its stance on the Taliban based on convenience.

“The same Taliban that was once an outlier was welcomed in the Doha process and Oslo. At that time, people seemed fine with engaging with them. Now, suddenly, we are going back and saying the Taliban is doing all these not-so-good things. If that was the case, then what exactly was discussed in Oslo and Doha?” he questioned.

He also pointed out how political interference is perceived differently based on who is involved.

“When the West enters another country, it is seen as an effort to promote democratic freedoms. But when other nations do the same in the West, it is viewed as a malicious act,” he noted.

The Kashmir Issue and UN’s Role

Jaishankar criticized the role of the UN in handling the Kashmir issue, arguing that it turned an invasion into a dispute, making India and Pakistan equals in the matter.

“After the Second World War, the longest-standing illegal occupation of a territory pertains to India, referring to what we saw in Kashmir. When India approached the UN, what was an invasion was made into a dispute. The attacker and the victim were treated equally,” he said.

He went on to name countries responsible for this situation: “Who were the culpable parties? UK, Canada, Belgium, Australia, and the USA. So, pardon me, I have some question marks on that.”

Need for a Fair and Strong UN

Jaishankar emphasized the need for fairness in global governance, stating that a strong United Nations must also be a fair one.

“I agree we need a strong UN, but a strong UN requires fairness. A strong global order must have some consistency in standards,” he said.

He pointed out how military coups are viewed differently in various parts of the world. “We have military coups to our east in Myanmar—they are unacceptable. But similar events happen regularly to our west, and somehow, they seem to be okay,” he remarked.

Changing Global Power and the Need for Reform

The minister called for an audit of how the world has functioned over the past eight decades. He argued that global power dynamics have changed, and the international system must reflect this reality.

“We need a different conversation, a different world order,” he stated firmly.

Participants and Significance of the Raisina Dialogue

Jaishankar was joined by Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Juraj Blanar; former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt; Liechtenstein’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dominique Hasler; and Fiker Institute Founder Dubai Abulhoul at the session.

The Raisina Dialogue, held from March 17-19 in Delhi, is India’s most significant conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics. It is organized by the Observer Research Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs. The conference brings together global leaders to discuss pressing international issues.

Jaishankar’s strong remarks reflect India’s growing assertiveness in shaping the global conversation on fairness and international governance.

Also Read: Nagpur Violence: CM Devendra Fadnavis Calls For Peace, Says To Stay Away From Misinformation