External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday, 4 October 2026, said that India's expanding global presence is increasingly defined by its growing trade ties, development cooperation, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) partnerships. He made the remarks while interacting with young diplomats attending the Raisina Forum for Future of Diplomacy 2026 in New Delhi.

Key Themes Jaishankar Highlighted

Sharing details of his participation on X, Jaishankar said he was ‘delighted to interact with the young diplomats’ at the forum and discussed a range of issues shaping modern diplomacy. These included the rise of a global workforce, greater mobility of skilled professionals, and the growing responsibilities of ensuring diaspora welfare — specifically flagging the welfare of seafarers as an area of increasing concern.

He also stressed the imperative of strategic autonomy for nations navigating an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape — a principle that has become central to India’s foreign policy doctrine under his tenure.

India-Africa Partnership and Peacekeeping Advocacy

Jaishankar drew attention to the evolving India-Africa partnership, describing it as increasingly characterised by transfers of technology, capabilities, and experiential knowledge — a shift from earlier aid-centric models toward more equitable, South-South cooperation. He also highlighted India’s contributions to global peace through UN peacekeeping missions and reiterated the country’s consistent advocacy for dialogue and diplomacy over coercion.

Diplomacy in the Social Media Era

A notably candid segment of Jaishankar’s interaction addressed the challenges of conducting foreign policy in the age of social media. He acknowledged that the speed of information — and misinformation — places new pressures on diplomatic communication, requiring greater agility and clarity from foreign policy establishments worldwide.

About the Raisina Forum and the Leh Gathering

The Raisina Forum for Future of Diplomacy was held on 1 October 2026 in Leh, Ladakh, bringing together diplomats, policymakers, business leaders, and strategic thinkers from India and 39 countries. Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena addressed the event, underlining Ladakh’s unique strategic significance as a frontier where geopolitics, security, and sustainable development intersect.

In his post on X, Saxena said the forum highlighted Ladakh’s ecology and culture while discussing transformative initiatives for local community empowerment. He also shared his ambition to host the World Economic Forum in Ladakh, calling it an opportunity to showcase the region’s sustainable growth model to a global audience.

As India deepens its multilateral engagements, the Raisina Forum’s focus on young diplomats signals a longer-term investment in shaping the next generation of foreign policy practitioners aligned with India’s global ambitions.