EAM Jaishankar added that continued instability and multiple emerging flashpoints have compounded uncertainty, creating a world more volatile and risk-prone than before.
‘Weaponisation of resources taking place to achieve goals’: EAM Jaishankar flags ‘tough world’ situation in Suriname
Warning of a rapidly changing global order, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said the world is witnessing an unprecedented “weaponisation” of finance, resources, technology, and connectivity, as nations increasingly deploy economic and market leverage to secure strategic objectives.
Addressing a cross-section of Surinamese society in Paramaribo, Jaishankar said traditional assumptions about global power are being upended, with countries now using economic tools and market dominance as instruments of influence.
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“We are seeing the weaponisation of finance, resources, technology, connectivity, even geography,” he said, noting that market share and capabilities are being actively leveraged to exert influence in ways previously unimaginable.
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He pointed out that even long-held metrics used to assess global dynamics are shifting. Citing the United States as an example, Jaishankar said its transformation from a major energy importer to one of the world’s largest exporters has had far-reaching policy and geopolitical consequences.
#WATCH | Addressing the representatives from various sections of Surinamese society, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, “We are seeing today a weaponization of finance, we are seeing weaponization of resources, weaponization of technology, weaponization of connectivity, of geography,… pic.twitter.com/Qj4erQZxiQ
— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2026
A ‘tough world’ shaped by crisis and conflict
Describing the current global climate as a tough world, the EAM traced its evolution through successive crises. Beginning with the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted societies and economies worldwide, he said the global system had yet to fully recover when the Ukraine conflict erupted.
“What many expected to last weeks has now stretched into years,” he said, underlining its cascading impact on food security, fertiliser supply, and energy flows, along with broader geopolitical realignments.
Jaishankar added that continued instability and multiple emerging flashpoints have compounded uncertainty, creating a world more volatile and risk-prone than before.
India’s role in ‘de-risking’ global economy
Against this backdrop, Jaishankar highlighted India’s growing economic significance, citing International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections that place India’s contribution at 17 per cent of global growth this year.
“As we build capacities, we are also opening options for others,” he said, positioning India as a stabilising force that helps “de-risk” the international economy by expanding market access and diversifying global supply chains.
He emphasised that India is actively negotiating and concluding more free trade agreements while expanding its global economic footprint to create wider opportunities for partner countries.
#WATCH | Addressing the representatives from various sections of Surinamese society, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, “If you look at the IMF expectation of global growth this year, India contributes to the 17 % of the total global growth… Now, when a country like us, an economy like… pic.twitter.com/Rsyg0CKdnF
— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2026
Call for a more inclusive global order
Despite the turbulence, Jaishankar underscored India’s vision of a more inclusive world order. For countries like India and Suriname, he said, the goal remains to ensure that global shifts do not exclude smaller or developing nations.
“The world is being reshaped by forces willing to take greater risks,” he said, adding that inclusivity must remain central even as geopolitical and economic competition intensifies.
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