Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday asserted that India’s global rise will be driven primarily by its own domestic strength. Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi, Jaishankar emphasised that India’s trajectory is not dependent on the missteps of rival powers but on its own economic resilience, diplomatic outreach and capacity to shape regional partnerships.
“The rise of India will be determined by India. It will be determined by our strength, not by the mistakes of others,” the minister said.
India’s Indian Ocean strategy
Jaishankar argued that the concept of an “Indian Ocean identity” must be supported by tangible commitments such as infrastructure, connectivity and economic cooperation across the region. “If we have to build a kind of an Indian Ocean sentiment or identity, it has to be backed up with resources, work, commitments and practical projects,” he said.
Highlighting India’s geographic and strategic position, the minister pointed out that the Indian Ocean is uniquely named after a country and that India sits at its centre. According to him, India’s economic growth is likely to benefit many countries across the region.
“With our growth, other countries of the Indian Ocean stand to benefit. Those who work with us will get more benefits,” he added.
Jaishankar described the Indian Ocean region as an interconnected ecosystem undergoing a gradual recovery and rebuilding phase after years of economic disruptions, geopolitical tensions and shifts in trade patterns.
“The restoration of trade routes, connectivity and economic networks across the Indian Ocean requires sustained effort. In the last decade, Indian diplomacy has invested a lot in this process,” he said.
Iranian vessel incident raises tensions
The minister’s remarks came amid heightened attention to maritime security following the sinking of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena in international waters south of Sri Lanka, after being struck by the United States while returning from an international maritime exercise hosted and conducted by the Indian Navy.
Calling the incident “unfortunate”, Jaishankar highlighted India’s contrasting response to another Iranian vessel, IRIS Lavan, which had sought emergency docking at Kochi after developing technical problems.
According to the minister, Iran approached India days before the Dena incident requesting assistance. New Delhi approved the docking on March 1 and the vessel eventually arrived in Kochi with its crew of 183 sailors, many of them young cadets.
“When the ship wanted to come in and it was in difficulty, we felt it was the humane thing to do,” Jaishankar said. He stressed that humanitarian considerations guided India’s decision despite the complicated geopolitical circumstances.
Search and rescue efforts
In the case of the sinking of IRIS Dena, India also participated in search and rescue operations after a distress call was received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Colombo. The Indian Navy deployed a long-range maritime patrol aircraft to assist Sri Lanka’s rescue efforts.
Jaishankar noted that the region’s geopolitical realities are not new, citing long-standing strategic installations and foreign military bases across the oceanic theatre.
Concern over merchant sailors
The minister also raised concerns about the safety of merchant ships operating in conflict-prone waters, noting that Indian sailors form a significant portion of the global merchant marine workforce.
“Every time there is an attack on a vessel carrying goods, it is very likely that a part of the vessel is manned by Indians,” he said.
Jaishankar added that India’s policies in the region are shaped not only by geopolitical calculations but also by the need to safeguard the roughly 9-10 million Indians living in Gulf countries as well as the thousands serving aboard international shipping vessels.