by Suman Gupta
New Delhi– On the occasion of United Nations Day, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar shared India’s perspective on global peace and diplomacy at the Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan. Presenting his views on the conference’s central theme, ‘Advaita’ (One Reality), at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, he said that the concept of Advaita teaches us to move beyond narrow-minded thinking.
According to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, Dr Jaishankar emphasised that the philosophy of ‘Advaita’, or ‘One Reality’, inspires us to completely abandon a ‘zero-sum game’ mentality, in which one side’s victory comes at the expense of another’s defeat. He said, “It means understanding, appreciating and practising a belief in our indivisibility. It requires us to discard zero-sum game thinking and instead, to focus on the collective, on the shared, on the common and most of all on our unity.”
Referring to ongoing conflicts around the world, the External Affairs Minister cautioned that peace is indivisible. A war in any part of the world does not remain confined to that region; rather, it becomes a serious threat to peace and stability everywhere. Dr Jaishankar firmly reiterated that India has consistently advocated ‘dialogue and diplomacy’ as the preferred means of resolving international disputes and crises.
In his address, the External Affairs Minister called for reforms in multilateralism, stating that international institutions must not remain silent spectators on the sidelines during global crises. To counter terrorism and other contemporary challenges, he urged the international community to adopt a united and resolute approach. The conference, organised to mark the 75th anniversary of the Chinmaya Mission, was attended by several dignitaries, including United Nations Resident Coordinator Stefan Priesner.
