NEW DELHI, 4 FEB

 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised the significance of a robust India-European Union (EU) relationship during his address at the IIC-Bruegel annual seminar on Tuesday, highlighting its potential as an "important stabilising factor" in an increasingly volatile world.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the seminar, Jaishankar pointed to the disregard for international law in various regions, implying tensions between India’s eastern and western neighbours. He noted that, despite prevailing narratives of stability, the global order is fraying, with inconsistencies in the application of principles governing international relations.

Jaishankar also tackled pressing issues such as trade, digital technology, climate action, and their connections to geopolitics. He remarked on the pressing need to update the political and economic frameworks that underpin global interactions, stating, "We are truly entering a time of multipolarity and rebalancing."

The minister asserted that while existing structures will remain relevant, a nationalistic resurgence may drive critical changes. He called for "a quest for convergence" and honest dialogue between India and the EU, underlining their shared values as political democracies and market economies.