Contactless wars and standoff weapons now define modern conflicts: S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Sunday said that the nature of warfare has undergone a fundamental transformation in recent years, pointing to a new era of “contactless wars” shaped by advanced weaponry and technology.

Speaking at the Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC 2025) in New Delhi, Jaishankar cited recent global conflicts, from Azerbaijan-Armenia to Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Iran, as examples of how modern warfare has evolved.

“The nature of weaponry and war has fundamentally changed,” Jaishankar said. “Conflicts from Azerbaijan-Armenia to Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Iran show contactless wars with standoff weapons, which can have highly impactful, sometimes decisive outcomes. These define the landscape of today’s turbulent times.”

VIDEO | Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar at KEC 2025 says, "The nature of weaponry and war has fundamentally changed. Conflicts from Azerbaijan-Armenia to Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Iran show contactless wars with standoff weapons, which can have highly impactful,… pic.twitter.com/75u8o2Ikr5

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 5, 2025

Jaishankar also said that the competition for rare earth elements and strategic resources has become a defining feature of modern global rivalries, with “a serious effort to derisk every factor of politics and economics.”

Jaishankar also highlighted the growing tendency to weaponise everything — from trade and technology to finance and supply chains — while warning that traditional international regimes and rules are being weakened or discarded.

The minister outlined a world where ownership, security, reliability, and resilience have become as important as cost in determining economic choices.

“We are seeing that cost may no longer be a definitive criterion. Ownership and reliability now carry equal weight,” he said.

On India’s positioning in this complex environment, Jaishankar emphasised that New Delhi’s strength lies in internal capability-building.

“For India, the answer to a more difficult world is not outside, but inside — in deepening manufacturing, improving human resources and infrastructure, and finding new trade routes,” he said.

He added that India’s approach would be to maintain as many productive relationships as possible, without making them exclusive, ensuring strategic autonomy while engaging constructively with multiple global partners.

Jaishankar also said that the world is entering an era of multi-domain competition — where economics, technology, and warfare intersect — and where India’s response must blend resilience, innovation, and self-reliance.

*With Agency Inputs