India has said a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine is essential to bringing lasting peace to the Middle East amid the ongoing violence in Gaza.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar noted that the crisis in the region has yet to come to an end. He also highlighted India’s role in delivering humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.

The minister said attacks on commercial vessels, stretching from the Gulf to the Red Sea and the Black Sea, have cost Indian lives as well, and stressed the need to guarantee the safety of maritime shipping. On the Russia-Ukraine war, he said India backs efforts to end the conflict and stands ready to help, particularly on food and energy security.

Jaishankar described AI as a tool for economic growth and for solving problems faced by large populations, adding that every country has the right to develop its own AI models. He also said that as the world shifts toward a multipolar order, the need to reform international institutions is growing by the day.