External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday, 22 September called on countries with shared international objectives to act collectively against threats to global choke points and supply chain disruptions, delivering a pointed address at the inaugural Partners for Multilateralism, International Law, Peace and Prosperity (P4M) Summit at the United Nations in New York. Jaishankar co-chaired the summit alongside António Costa, President of the European Council.

The Core Message: Multilateralism Under Pressure

Jaishankar said the global order is currently under stress from “extreme competition, geopolitical tensions, and actual conflicts.” He warned that if left unchecked, these pressures “would call into question the very spirit of international cooperation,” making it essential that multilateralism “asserts itself strongly at this juncture.”

Without naming specific regions, the minister's remarks were widely understood as referencing ongoing conflicts in the Gulf and Ukraine — both of which have had significant knock-on effects on global supply chains, energy markets, and food security.

The '4F Crises' and the Case for Guardrails

Jaishankar outlined what he described as the world's '4F crises' — threats to fuel, food, fertiliser, and finance — arguing that this convergence of pressures makes “a very powerful case for frameworks and guardrails.” He stressed that “where there is a compelling cause or a powerful case, the like-minded must have the confidence to come together.”

He also underscored that “de-risking and diversifying” must be actively encouraged wherever choke points, dominance, or disruption loom. This framing reflects India's broader foreign policy posture — of reducing strategic dependencies without formal bloc alignment.

Call for Reformed Multilateralism

Jaishankar argued the moment demands “reformed multilateralism” — one defined by “more participative deliberations and more transparent decisions.” Strict adherence to international law, rules, and norms, he said, is non-negotiable if multilateralism is to remain credible.

He listed the stakes plainly: “the future of peace and international security, of climate action and climate justice, of emerging technologies and development finance, of countering terrorism and strengthening supply chains, and of ensuring disaster resilience and preparing for pandemics.” All, he said, “depend on a will to cooperate.”

India-EU Coordination on the Indo-Pacific and Beyond

On the sidelines of the summit, Jaishankar met with European Union foreign ministers and counterparts from the Indo-Pacific, including Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong and South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun. The discussions covered India-EU cooperation, multilateral governance, and current developments in the Gulf, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific.

The minister said on X that he “appreciated meeting my European Union colleagues,” adding that the conversations touched on “multilateral issues and current developments.” This comes amid renewed focus on coordinating democratic and like-minded nations to defend the principles of international law — a theme that has gained urgency across G7, Quad, and EU diplomatic circuits.

What This Signals for India's Global Posture

Notably, co-chairing this summit with the European Council president marks a visible elevation of India's multilateral standing. India has consistently positioned itself as a bridge between the Global South and developed economies — a role it reinforced during its G20 presidency in 2023. The P4M summit appearance extends that identity into a more explicitly rules-based framing. All eyes are now on whether the “like-minded” coalition Jaishankar envisions translates into concrete institutional action, or remains a rhetorical consensus.