United Nations, Sep 27 — India and several developing countries have warned the UN that wars are inflicting economic damage far beyond the battlefield, driving up food and energy prices and disrupting trade in nations with little influence over the conflicts.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said countries distant from fighting were being penalised through interruptions to food, fuel, fertiliser, finance and commerce.
“Those most impacted often have the least say,” he told the UN General Assembly.
EAM Jaishankar said the failure to maintain peace was weakening security, threatening progress and slowing development. The effects were particularly severe across the Global South.
India expressed concern over the war in Ukraine and continuing hostilities in the Gulf. It called for restraint, de-escalation and uninterrupted flows of energy and commerce, including the protection of ships and seafarers.
The same economic warning ran through speeches by leaders from the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and Africa during several days of the General Debate.
Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader said wars in Europe and the Middle East were “far away from our coasts” but directly affected domestic food and energy prices.
As a developing island nation, the Dominican Republic understood how external shocks could quickly undermine growth and household security, he said. Abinader called for de-escalation, freedom of navigation and diplomatic efforts to prevent further conflict.
Comoros President Azali Assoumani said the war in the Middle East and the paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz had produced a global shock.
The conflict threatened food and energy security in vulnerable, import-dependent countries such as Comoros, he said. Those pressures were also pushing the Sustainable Development Goals further out of reach.
Portugal Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said wars were undermining the international order and reducing the prospects for prosperity. He called for attacks on neighbouring countries, merchant ships and civilian infrastructure to end.
“Everyone is being harmed” by the resulting energy and fuel crisis, Montenegro said.
“We must put an end to this collective masochism,” he added, calling for international efforts to mitigate the impact and a discussion about mechanisms influencing oil prices.
Maldives Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef said insecurity now travelled through sea lanes, supply chains, financial markets and digital networks.
Disruption of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz raised fuel prices and affected food supplies and air travel, he said. The consequences spread into tourism and public finances in Maldives, whose economy depends heavily on imports and international travel.
Latheef also warned that competition among major powers in the Indian Ocean should not restrict the choices available to smaller states. The region must remain open to trade and economic activity, he said.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs widened the argument beyond immediate economic costs.
“What happens in Ukraine does not stay in Ukraine; what happens in the Middle East, in the Red Sea, and in Sudan does not stay there,” he said.
Several speakers said the economic consequences demonstrated why conflicts could not be regarded as isolated regional events. Higher transport, energy and insurance costs move through supply chains and eventually reach households thousands of kilometres away.
India imports most of its crude oil and depends on international trade routes for energy, fertiliser and other critical commodities. Changes in global fuel and freight prices can feed into transport, farming and consumer costs, making distant conflicts a direct economic concern for Indian households.