Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Friday, 30 October 2026, declared that the global strategic landscape had become more fragmented and contested than at any point in recent memory, citing active conflicts in Europe and West Asia, the weaponisation of supply chains, and critical technologies being deployed as instruments of geopolitical leverage. He was speaking at VISV-2026 — Vision, Innovation, Synergy, Values — held at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, organised by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS).

Setting the Stage: A Defining Inflection Point

Misri described the current international environment as a 'defining geopolitical inflection point,' noting that developments in military competition and technology were outpacing existing international law, policy frameworks, and even diplomacy itself. He pointed specifically to the expansion of military rivalry into space and the deep seas as areas of growing concern.

'Conflicts rage in Europe and West Asia. Supply chains have been weaponised. Critical technologies have become instruments of leverage,' Misri said, framing the challenge in stark terms for an audience of foreign defence attachés representing several friendly nations.

Terrorism and the Global Commons Under Stress

The Foreign Secretary did not limit his assessment to state-level rivalries. He warned that terrorism continued to threaten societies and alleged that some states still treat it as an instrument of state policy — remarks that carry particular resonance given India's longstanding position on cross-border terrorism. Misri added that the global commons — encompassing the seas, cyberspace, and outer space — were under growing and compounding stress. He also flagged climate instability as a force pushing resource scarcity toward a crisis point, underscoring the need for greater international cooperation on emerging security challenges.

India's Approach: Strategic Autonomy and Defence Diplomacy

Misri used the platform to articulate India's framework for navigating this turbulent environment. 'We must build resilience, and we must build partnerships, and that is how India approaches defence diplomacy,' he said. He reiterated that India's foreign policy rests on strategic autonomy — 'the freedom to decide in our own interest guided by our own assessment' — a principle that has defined New Delhi's approach across multilateral forums and bilateral ties alike.

He expressed hope that initiatives such as VISV-2026 would broaden understanding of the evolving geopolitical environment and help countries identify opportunities for mutual benefit. He commended the Ministry of Defence and DRDO for organising the event, calling it DRDO's first outreach programme specifically for foreign defence attachés.

About VISV-2026 and What It Signals

Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth also attended the event, themed 'Showcasing Defence Capabilities, Strengthening Global Partnerships.' VISV-2026 brings together representatives from the defence establishment, industry, academia, and the diplomatic community to familiarise international partners with India's progress in defence research, development, and production. The forum is explicitly aimed at exploring technology-led cooperation and strategic partnerships, positioning DRDO as a bridge between indigenous capability-building and global defence engagement. This comes amid India's accelerating push for defence exports and self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat framework, making Misri's remarks a signal of intent as much as a geopolitical assessment.