Arun Jaitley expresses Indian concern over worrying signs of protectionism

NEW DELHI: Signs of economic protectionism and new barriers to migration are major global concerns, FM Arun Jaitley said in Moscow, days after raising the issue in Washington.
Speaking on global security challenges at an international security conference on Wednesday, Jaitley listed economic protectionism as a top concern, right after talking about unpredictability in ties between major powers.
"There are… worrying signs of economic protectionism. New barriers to migration and the closing of borders are other elements of such an approach. However, such efforts are unlikely to be able to address the complex issues involved," said Jaitley, who is also the country’s defence minister.
The minister had raised the issue of H-1B visa curbs in a meeting with US counterpart Steven Mnuchin in Washington on the weekend, pointing out that rising protectionism would hurt the global economy.
Speaking in Moscow, he identified Asia as the stage for global competition and said economies in the region will be critical for global growth. "For the foreseeable future, Asian economies will continue to be the drivers of global growth. Asia could also be emerging as the stage for competition between large and rising powers," he said.
Jaitley also listed territorial disputes in the maritime domain as a reason for worry.
"India believes that the rights of freedom of navigation and over-flight as well as unimpeded commerce should be ensured. These are vital to India's own economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region," he said in an oblique reference to China.
Without directly referring to Pakistan, the minister expressed India's concerns on North Korea and its implication on the region, given the history of nuclear proliferation. "The recent escalation of tensions in the Korean peninsula is a matter of concern. The linkages between proliferation in that region with the deterioration of India's own security environment is widely known," he said.
On Afghanistan, Jaitley said India was on board with consultations being driven by Russia for a secure, stable and peaceful nation.
The finance minister also reiterated India’s stand that there can be no distinction between good terrorist and bad terrorist. "A policy of zero tolerance towards violence and terrorism and continued efforts to consolidate the capacity of the Afghan government to deal with violence as well as promote development are essential," he said.
The minister will hold bilateral discussions with his Russian counterparts during his visit, with progress expected on several pending issues including the acquisition of air defence systems, helicopters and submarines from Russia.