'Fragmentation is here to stay' and 'it is not altogether bad...': Jaishankar on global cooperation

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Thursday called for a renewed framework of international cooperation to address the challenges of an increasingly fragmented global order, while delivering the keynote address at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity 2026 in South Korea. Addressing delegates at the international forum, Jaishankar said that while fragmentation has become a defining feature of the contemporary world, it is not entirely negative. He said the shift away from concentrated dominance has created greater space for democratization, multipolarity and broader participation in global affairs.“The world today is undergoing a complex rebalancing—economic, political and cultural,” Jaishankar said, noting that globalization and fragmentation now coexist, creating both opportunities and challenges for nations.