At a time when the US administration under President Donald Trump has imposed a 25% tariff as a &ldquo;Russian penalty,&rdquo; External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday highlighted the prevalence of &ldquo;double standards.&rdquo;
Speaking at the G20 Foreign Ministers&rsquo; meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar said ongoing conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and Gaza, had exposed sharp costs for the Global South in terms of food, fertilizer, and energy security. 
&ldquo;Apart from jeopardizing supplies and logistics, access and costs themselves became pressure points on nations. Double standards are clearly in evidence,&rdquo; he said.
Jaishankar stressed that true development cannot be achieved if peace is undermined. 
&ldquo;Peace can certainly enable development; but by threatening development, we cannot facilitate peace. Making energy and other essentials more uncertain in an economically fragile situation helps no one. The way out is to move the needle towards dialogue and diplomacy, not toward further complications,&rdquo; he added.
He also underlined the role of certain countries capable of engaging both sides in conflicts, saying they should be utilized by the global community to achieve and sustain peace. 
&ldquo;The value of encouraging a buy-in from those supportive of such goals should be appreciated,&rdquo; he said.
On terrorism, Jaishankar warned that it continues to be a persistent disruptor of peace. 
&ldquo;Given the extensive networking amongst terrorists, those who act against them on any front actually render a larger service to the international community as a whole,&rdquo; he stated, calling for zero tolerance toward terrorism.
Highlighting the limitations of multilateralism and the UN in addressing current challenges, he said reforms in global governance were urgently needed. 
&ldquo;The international situation today is both politically and economically volatile. We, as members of G20, have a particular responsibility to strengthen its stability and give it a more positive direction. That is best achieved through dialogue, diplomacy, combating terrorism, and enhancing energy and economic security,&rdquo; Jaishankar said.
Earlier in the day, the Foreign Minister pointed out demographic realities, noting that many countries cannot meet global workforce demands. 
His remarks come against the backdrop of trade frictions, tariff barriers, and President Trump&rsquo;s hardline stance on immigration, including the newly announced $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, which largely impacts Indian professionals.

S. Jaishankar speaking at G20 UNGA meeting

Jaishankar criticizes US tariffs, urges dialogue, diplomacy, and global economic stability

Jaishankar Slams US ‘Double Standards’ at G20

Jaishankar criticizes US tariffs, urges dialogue, diplomacy, and global economic stability

September 26, 2025 | 16:23 IST