'Global Shocks Tested Resilience': Jaishankar Says India Managed Challenges Successfully

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said a series of global shocks had recently tested India’s resilience, adding that the country has successfully navigated both domestic and external challenges.

While speaking at the 15th Annual Convocation of IIM Raipur, Jaishankar said the global order was changing with visible shifts in the relative power of countries. “The politics of some societies find it difficult to come to terms with these changes. New developments in technology, in energy, military capabilities, in connectivity and in resources have encouraged risk-taking in an increasingly competitive environment,” he said.

The minister said almost everything was now being leveraged, if not weaponised, and the world is confronting the prospect

of securing itself in an increasingly hostile and unpredictable environment.

Addressing the 15th Annual Convocation Ceremony @iimraipur. https://t.co/arL8uNljnl

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) April 4, 2026

Speaking on how India faced challenges, Jaishankar said, “There is an optimism in our society that is lacking in many other parts of the world. Now you could ask, why is that? The last 10 years have been much better, giving rise to the confidence that the next 10 and those beyond will also be.”

“We are, after all, now among the top five economies. No one can dispute that the multiple global shocks that have recently tested our resilience, and that India has come through that solidly. We have managed both domestic and external challenges fairly successfully,” he added.

The EAM stressed the government’s emphasis on inclusive growth, representative politics, and decisive leadership, along with embracing the digital revolution enthusiastically. He also urged the importance of building national capabilities in the wake of global trends.

“We must endeavour to build and secure within our control as much capacities as we can. Obviously, some domains will be more difficult than others. In such cases, the answers lie in reliable or trusted partnerships and diverse sourcing. But at the end of the day, there is no getting away from building robust national capabilities,” he remarked.

Jaishankar’s remarks came as the global economy grapples with the fallout of the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has disrupted oil markets, international travel and the security of several countries in the Gulf.