Jaishankar highlights need for global workforce, says new trade arrangements will emerge
New York, September 28 – External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has underlined that the world will require a large-scale global workforce in the coming years and, despite prevailing uncertainties, new trade arrangements will continue to take shape.
As per agency report, Jaishankar made these remarks while addressing an Observer Research Foundation (ORF) event on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly session in New York. He observed that trade has an inherent ability to adapt and chart its own course, even during uncertain times.
The minister stressed that emerging models of trade, technology, connectivity, and workplace structures are set to transform the global landscape in the near future. He pointed out that India has been deepening its engagement with Latin American and Caribbean nations, aiming to further expand trade and partnerships in those regions.
In his address, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of capacity building, particularly for major nations, to achieve greater self-reliance in what he described as a turbulent international environment. He noted that India is focusing heavily on strengthening its technological capabilities, fostering self-reliance, advancing multipolarity, and promoting South-South cooperation.
South-South cooperation, he explained, refers to the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and technology among developing nations that form part of the Global South. The goal of this cooperation is to tackle common development challenges, promote economic and social progress, and achieve collective self-reliance without depending excessively on developed economies.
Jaishankar’s comments come against the backdrop of recent policy measures in the United States and other global developments. The US has raised the annual H-1B visa fee to 100,000 dollars, a move that impacts Indian professionals who account for nearly 71 percent of H-1B holders, numbering over 280,000. Chinese professionals make up about 11.7 percent of the total. Additionally, India has faced added tariffs on certain goods linked to its continued purchase of Russian oil.
