Jaishankar explained that there are different forms of risks that pose a threat to the globe, including pandemics and climate change. In a conversation with ET’s Pranab Dhal Samanta, Jaishankar said that risks are coming out of changes happening in the world.
With respect to the emerging risks, the EAM said that every government today is constantly and cautiously assessing risks. These risks also expand to the global supply chain, he added.
Jaishankar said that every government is consciously or otherwise assessing risks and that the majority of policies are based on this assessment.
The Covid-19 pandemic taught a big lesson on health security, food security and manufacturing security, the EAM stated.
India’s ‘China problem’
India is not the only country that has a problem with China, Jaishankar said.”Decades ago the world decided to overlook problems in China. Now everyone has a problem. India has a special China problem, over and above the world’s China problem. Because there is a general problem, apart from our border situation, the sensible thing to do is take precautions which a country like India should be taking,” Jaishankar said.Investments coming from China should be scrutinised, the EAM stated. On India’s stance on the investments coming from Beijing, the minister revealed that India passes all these investments through the scanner before permission is granted.
“We are scrutinising all investments from China. Countries which do not have borders with China are scrutinising investments from China, though the level of scrutiny is different,” Minister Jaishankar explained.
China, however, isn’t the only country India should scrutinise in terms of foreign investments, EAM added further, stating that balance is a key factor in investments.
“A country like India must look at investments coming not just from China. I’m pro investment and pro growth, but somewhere there should be a balance,” said the EAM.
