Full: Jaishankar’s straight talk on diplomacy, conflict evacuations, immigration row & more

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking at the India’s World Annual Conclave 2025, laid out India’s growing role as a global talent hub. Highlighting the demographic strength of India, 1/6th of the global population and nearly 1/4th of the world’s young workforce, Jaishankar emphasized how mobility is becoming a defining force in diplomacy and economics. He detailed India’s major achievements over the last decade, from expanding passport services to formal mobility agreements with 21 countries, and noted how legal mobility boosts economies, reduces trafficking, and empowers Indian workers abroad. With India receiving a record USD 135 billion in remittances last year, Jaishankar underscored how the world increasingly relies on Indian skillsets. The session explored demography, competitiveness, and societal attitudes toward work, all central to India’s rising global influence.