ISTANBUL

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday called for an end to conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza while pledging to support efforts toward peace and warned that the UN is “in a state of crisis” and urged reforms of the world body.

"In the case of conflicts, especially Ukraine and Gaza, even those not directly involved have felt their impact," Jaishankar told the 80th UN General Assembly in New York.

"Nations that can engage all sides must step up in the search for solutions. India calls for an end to hostilities and will support any initiative that will help restore peace," he said.

At least 65,926 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

In apparent reference to the additional levies imposed by the US, Jaishankar said the world now sees "tariff volatility and uncertain market access" and that the economic concerns have other dimensions, including heightened technology control and a grip on supply chains and critical minerals.

India faces 50% tariffs on exports to the US, partly over its purchase of Russian oil amid the war in Ukraine.

Thus, he added, “De-risking is a growing compulsion, whether from limited sources of supply or overdependence on a particular market.”

Jaishankar, however, said India "will always maintain freedom of choice.”

The Indian foreign minister said the "slow progress" in combating climate change presents a "sorry picture," and asked, "If climate action itself is questioned, what hope is there for climate justice?"

Stressing reform of the UN, Jaishankar said the resistance against reform at the world body was "central to the erosion" of the organization's "credibility."

He also referred to the April 22 attack at the Pahalgam tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 people dead, and New Delhi blamed Pakistan for the incident—Islamabad denied involvement and called for an international probe—triggering four-day clashes between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May, which ended in a ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump.

New Delhi "has confronted terrorism since its independence” in 1947, he said.

“India exercised its right to defend its people against terrorism and brought its organizers and perpetrators to justice because terrorism is a shared threat,” Jaishankar said, referring to the latest cross-border hostilities with Pakistan.