New goals for national security are being devised along with new partnerships in a world of Artificial Intelligence, electronic vehicles, chips, drones and critical technologies, said S Jaishankar, Union External Affairs Minister during his visit to Gujarat on Saturday.

Addressing the convocation ceremony of Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) at Gandhinagar, Jaishankar told the audience, “Trusted providers and partners are today at a premium. The challenge of over-concentration has spurred a desire for re-globalisation on different terms. In a world of AI, EVs, chips, drones and critical technologies and resources, new goals for national security are being devised along with new practices and new partnerships.”

“As our interests expand, we have to strive to also contribute to the security of others. This may be in the immediate neighbourhood or this may be in terms of financial, health and energy support to them. Or indeed to the larger constituency like the Global South — to whom we provided vaccines during the Covid,” he added.

Highlighting “separatism” as one of the national challenges, Jaishankar said “radicalisation even from a distance can be extraordinarily disruptive.” “At the same time there are persistent efforts, to de-legitimise the elected, distort debates and define political correctness. Much of this arises from the interests of a few that pass off as views of many,” he said.

‘Drawing a line’

The Union Minister said that his government tries to balance between freedoms and their misuse. “Where to draw a line was always a political conundrum when it comes to security. Perhaps even more so now. Being a democratic polity we have to strike a balance between freedoms and their misuse. We often see across the world, many struggle to do so. Some, because they can’t and others because they won’t,” he added.

Jaishankar also spoke on food, energy, water security and merit of globalisation that India faces.

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