Ukraine crisis will result in global food, fuel, fertiliser crisis: Jaishankar

BENGALURU: A prolonged Ukraine conflict will lead to a global crisis of three ‘Fs’ -- food, fuel and fertiliser. “The fertiliser shortage will impact the next harvest and lead to global hunger,” said External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, during a discussion on ‘Eight years of National Security’ at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) on Thursday. NIAS Director Dr Shailesh Nayak and former diplomat PS Raghavan were present.

“Some consequences of the Ukraine conflict are still unfolding. It can shift the global thinking on energy,” Jaishankar said, while addressing the partner educational institutes of NIAS, research scholars and diplomats. He said India has faced some uncomfortable times at the United Nations regarding its stand on the ongoing conflict. “But we believe that cessation of fighting is the only way forward,” he added.

He said he chose to speak about national security and not foreign policy because very often “we take the former for granted. Guarding of borders by soldiers or commandos alone is not national security. It is the very foundation of any development and progress of society”. He said it is important to connect the dots -- the several initiatives taken by the Modi government like girls’ education, skill development, Digital India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Swacch Bharat, Ujjwala Yojana etc, to get a comprehensive picture of India’s national security. 

POSTER CHILD OF INDIA
Jaishankar said he chose to speak on the issue of national security in Bengaluru because Karnataka is “one of the most progressive states in the country and is the poster child of India’s modernity to the world”.