Delivering the keynote address at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity 2026 in South Korea, Jaishankar said the international community must acknowledge that fragmentation has become a permanent feature of global affairs. While recognizing the challenges associated with this trend, he maintained that it has also created opportunities for greater democratisation and reduced dominance by a limited number of powerful nations.
“The Forum is discussing a fragmented world as a problem and reinventing cooperation as a solution. I agree with both the diagnosis and the treatment,” Jaishankar said. However, he stressed that “fragmentation is here to stay” and, in several respects, has produced positive outcomes by creating “less dominance, more space and greater democratisation.”
The minister observed that the world has always experienced a combination of globalisation and fragmentation, but the forces driving both processes have become increasingly complex. He highlighted economic integration, resilient supply chains, technological advancement, logistics networks and the movement of talent as key factors strengthening international connectivity.
Pleased to deliver the keynote address at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, 2026.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 25, 2026
The world today is undergoing a complex rebalancing - economic, political and cultural. While economic interdependence, connectivity and a global workplace have brought it closer;… pic.twitter.com/tYqTxiDtZw
“The world is increasingly about supply chains, their efficiency and their resilience,” he said, emphasizing that technology and artificial intelligence are accelerating cross-border integration. According to Jaishankar, the rise of artificial intelligence will further intensify these trends because the collection of data and deployment of technological models are inherently transnational activities.
At the same time, he warned that strategic competition among nations is growing. Countries are increasingly using financial strength, manufacturing capacity, technological advantages and control over critical resources as instruments of geopolitical influence. As a result, economic activity is becoming more closely linked to national security considerations.
“The natural play of commerce is increasingly influenced by the calculations of strategy,” Jaishankar said, pointing to escalating technology rivalries and geopolitical competition across the world.
The minister also criticized what he described as selective approaches to major global challenges. He cited the Covid-19 pandemic, terrorism and climate change as examples where responses have frequently been shaped by national interests rather than collective global responsibility.
“Challenges confronting the world may be manifestly global, but the responses are definitely more national,” he said. Referring to terrorism, he argued that the international community has often displayed “double standards,” while climate action has frequently been characterized by “empty promises.”
Jaishankar further expressed concern over obstacles confronting developing nations in their pursuit of economic growth. He argued that non-market factors and restrictions on market access are limiting opportunities for industrialisation across several countries in the Global South.
Describing the current international environment, the minister said the world is witnessing “greater weaponisation, higher risk-taking and a politics suited to the social media era.” He emphasized that broader cooperation among nations is essential to counterbalance narrow national interests and maintain global stability.
To address these challenges, Jaishankar proposed a five-point framework aimed at reinventing international cooperation. The framework includes diversifying supply chains, strengthening partnerships among influential countries, reinforcing respect for international law, expanding economic opportunities for the Global South and pursuing reformed multilateralism to ensure the delivery of global public goods.
He underscored the importance of institutions and legal frameworks, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), stating that such mechanisms must be collectively protected and promoted to preserve international order.
Concluding his address, Jaishankar made a strong case for deeper cooperation between India and the Republic of Korea. He identified significant opportunities in shipbuilding, digital technologies, healthcare, infrastructure and defence, arguing that stronger bilateral relations could contribute not only to shared prosperity but also to a more stable and balanced global order.
“The world must take more control over its own future,” Jaishankar said, stressing the need for broader participation in shaping international norms and institutions.
His remarks highlighted the growing complexity of global politics and economics, while presenting a vision in which expanded cooperation, stronger institutions and wider participation by developing nations can help navigate an increasingly fragmented international landscape.
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