Jaishankar urges diplomacy and shipping security at G20

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar urged G20 foreign ministers to give diplomacy a chance in addressing global challenges, and called for stronger protection of civilian shipping and freedom of navigation at a meeting in Atlanta on October 30. Speaking at the first plenary session, Jaishankar said military solutions would not resolve global problems. He called for an end to attacks on civilian vessels and seafarers under international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, known as UNCLOS. His remarks were summarized in a post on X. Jaishankar said attacks on shipping placed a disproportionate burden on the Global South by threatening the availability and cost of fuel, food and fertilisers. He also said at least 22 Indians, including 14 seafarers, had died since the war in West Asia began in February 2026. The figure was reported as Jaishankar’s statement; no underlying accounting was identified in the reports. The minister also argued that market flooding, the use of supply chains as leverage, restricted market access and market distortions were limiting developing economies’ ability to industrialise. He called for resilient...