Everybody Is Dealing With Everybody: Jaishankar Says World Is Turning Multipolar, Flags India-US Challenges

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said the world is moving rapidly towards multipolarity as major powers increasingly pursue independent and transactional foreign policies, while flagging challenges in India-US ties over trade, energy security, regional security and cross-border terrorism.

Speaking at a special conversation hosted by the Asia Society in New York after the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly, Jaishankar discussed the changing nature of global diplomacy, India-US relations, trade, energy security and challenges facing the Global South. The conversation was moderated by former US diplomat Daniel Russel and attended by policy experts and members of the Indian diaspora.

Jaishankar said the traditional diplomatic model, under which major powers expected countries to limit their relationships with other nations, was changing.

"There was once a narrative in America that we don't like India having too many options... Today that pretense has dropped," Jaishankar said.

"Everybody is openly dealing with everybody else. That is how we are heading towards a multipolar world. This will be a universal gum. Everybody is going to be chewing it, and everybody is actually going to get the best deal that they can out of a given situation."

His comments came amid a broader shift in how countries manage trade and strategic partnerships, with major economies increasingly negotiating bilateral arrangements and pursuing their own interests.

Jaishankar said new US trading templates based on one-to-one deals could challenge assumptions that have shaped the international economic system for decades, though major trading nations would ultimately seek stability amid growing economic competition and uncertainty. He also highlighted how geopolitical conflicts are affecting the Global South, with tensions disrupting oil supplies and keeping energy markets under pressure, while disruptions involving major grain exporters and fertiliser shortages could further strain global food security, raising supply and price risks for import-dependent developing economies.

Jaishankar also addressed challenges in India-US relations, particularly India's concerns over cross-border terrorism emanating from its neighbourhood. He said India's experience with terrorism was a central national security concern and that differences over the issue could affect the broader bilateral relationship.

"As a country, perhaps there are very few countries which have been subjected to the kind of terrorism that we have from a neighbour as part of a deliberate, conscious policy over many, many decades," Jaishankar said.

He added that a lack of understanding of India's security concerns could create difficulties between the two countries.

"Now, if something which matters so deeply to us, there isn't enough understanding or appreciation or empathy of that, I think that creates a problem too... if one of my primary concerns is not fully appreciated by my partner, then clearly there is an impact of that on the relationship."

The remarks come against the backdrop of Washington's renewed engagement with Pakistan, an issue that has remained sensitive for New Delhi.

Jaishankar acknowledged that India and the US have differences on several issues, including trade, tariffs, regional security and energy procurement. However, he indicated that the relationship could continue to develop if both sides approached these disagreements with a realistic understanding of each other's interests and concerns.