Indian External Affairs Minister Warns of Severe Food Crisis in Asia

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has expressed deep concern that South and Southeast Asia could face a severe food crisis in the coming months due to the conflict situation between the United States and Iran, alongside broader international tensions.

He warned that the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East are severely disrupting global fertilizer and energy supplies, which will ultimately lead to an extreme food shortage.

Speaking at an open discussion organized by the Asia Society in New York last Monday, Jaishankar noted that current regional geopolitical conflicts are placing immense psychological and economic pressure on the economies of developing nations. He also mentioned that instability in the global energy market and stagnation of grain exports in the Black Sea region have created a complex dual crisis worldwide.

Criticizing powerful nations, the Indian External Affairs Minister stated that world leaders should not be so self-centered as to focus solely on their own personal interests while remaining indifferent to the basic needs of the developing world. He expressed apprehension that such geopolitical and economic crises could further increase political instability in neighboring countries.