Dharwad: A sound foreign policy is essential for countries to effectively deal with unexpected war-like situations, opined prof VS Vastrad, principal of Gokhale Centenary College, Ankola.He was delivering a special lecture on “Middle East Conflict: Shifts in India’s Foreign Policy and the Dilemmas Between National Interests” organised by the department of political science at Karnataka Arts College here.Prof Vastrad noted that Middle Eastern nations, which are rich in civilisational heritage and abundant in petroleum resources, play a crucial role in global geopolitics. He stressed that countries must formulate strong foreign policy strategies to safeguard national interests during unforeseen crises. Highlighting the human cost of wars, he said conflicts lead to large-scalehuman rights violationsand psychological distress among populations, while also triggering international crises. He attributed rising global instability partly to aggressive policies pursued by certain countries, including the US. “During global conflicts, the role of a country’s external affairs ministry and its foreign policy becomes even more significant,” he added.Karnataka Arts College principal prof I C Mulagund said nearly 50% of oil and gas is imported from Middle Eastern countries. “Wars, often driven by global issues, have a direct impact on a nation’s economy,” he noted.Head of the department of Political Science, Suresh Hullannavar, said wars between nations have both direct and indirect impacts on other countries, particularly on economic activity, trade, imports, and exports.
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