At a panel discussion hosted by the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), in association with Diplomatist Magazine, themed “Navigating Diplomacy Through Turbulent Times,” on 19th November, Shri J.K. Dadoo, Former Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce and a distinguished voice on trade policy, reflecting on his diplomatic career, shared insights from his tenure at the Indian Embassy in Moscow from 2000 to 2004, where he travelled across ten major Russian cities, gaining a profound understanding of Russia’s trade, commerce, and strategic potential. “So whatever I say today is informed by that rich diplomatic experience in Russia,” he noted.
He also highlighted the unique stature of Delhi in global diplomacy. “When foreign diplomats leave India, their biggest regret—believe me—is that they may never get a posting as enriching as Delhi again,” Shri Dadoo revealed, recounting how even the recent U.S. Ambassador had praised India’s capital effusively. This, he said, is a dimension of Indian diplomacy that many seldom appreciate.
Turning to the broader global context, Shri Dadoo spoke about the unprecedented turbulence defining today’s world. “I have lived in Delhi for 64 years; I have never witnessed such volatility,” he said. He attributed much of this uncertainty to hegemonic ambitions—the drive of some nations to dominate the world order. This ambition, he explained, manifests through six types of power: fire power, oil power, terrorist power, trade and tariff power, talent power, and money power.
The effects are profound: some nations succumb, others cooperate to protect their interests, and a few, including India, China, and Russia, actively resist. This dynamic, he warned, is creating natural global teaming that often exacerbates threats.
Shri Dadoo observed that traditional diplomacy, based on dialogue and negotiation, is increasingly being overshadowed by sanctions, tariff threats, rare-earth supply chain manipulation, semiconductor capacity control, and AI governance battles. “If international institutions—the UN, IMF, World Bank, WTO, WHO—get marginalised, who protects global public interest? That is my biggest concern,” he emphasised, reflecting on the urgent need for robust multilateral oversight.
Despite these challenges, Shri Dadoo painted a confident picture of India’s current global positioning. For the first time, India is practising true strategic autonomy, balancing relations simultaneously with the US, Russia, China, the EU, and regional powers. He cited India’s efforts to push for UN Security Council reforms and the nation’s remarkable humanitarian diplomacy, including evacuations from Sudan and Yemen, aid to Myanmar and Nepal, and food and medical support to Pakistan and Afghanistan. “Few nations match India’s scale and speed,” he noted.
He also highlighted India’s role as a global mediator. During its G20 Presidency, India successfully secured African Union membership and built consensus on divisive issues such as climate change, debt crises, and global governance, reinforcing the Sustainable Development Goals. On foreign policy, India maintains a calibrated balance: firm on terrorism, supportive in humanitarian crises such as Palestine, yet neutral in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “No other world leader has visited both Russia and Ukraine and received such strong bipartisan reception. This is the strength of calibrated neutrality,” he observed.
Shri Dadoo further spoke on India’s proactive engagement in managing border tensions, including disengagement with China along the Line of Control and silencing provocations from Pakistan, while simultaneously strengthening ties with neighbours like Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, and Bhutan.
Multilateral forums such as QUAD, Indo-Pacific mechanisms, and bilateral defence partnerships with France, Japan, and Australia, he said, have further reinforced India’s strategic footprint.
Highlighting India’s soft power and diaspora influence, he noted that India now receives the world’s largest remittances—USD 135 billion—and has strengthened its cultural and political presence globally. He also drew attention to India’s assertive transformation: hosting the International AI Summit in February 2026, repairing diplomatic ties with Canada, negotiating FTAs with multiple countries, exporting India Stack solutions to 50 nations, and attracting record FDI in technology, manufacturing, and renewable energy.
West Asia, defence, and economic diplomacy were also part of his discourse. India’s engagement with Iran, Israel, the US, and Gulf states is ensuring energy security and strategic stability, while defence capabilities are being strengthened with indigenous production, naval exercises, and exports of defence equipment to ASEAN, Africa, and Latin America. Supply chain partnerships and electronics manufacturing are driving economic diplomacy, while green hydrogen exports are being lined up for the near future.
Concluding his address, Shri Dadoo observed, “These are turbulent times. But India’s diplomatic maturity, strategic autonomy, humanitarian leadership, and bold economic diplomacy have positioned us as a stabilising force and a rising global power.”
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