'Global system is failing to addess crisis', says Rubio citing ‘potential conflict’ between India, Pakistan

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday cited a “potential conflict between India and Pakistan” as an example of the international system’s inability to address major conflicts and crises, saying there was currently no “functional” global system capable of dealing with such situations.Addressing a press conference in New York, Rubio said the international system was “not in good shape” and pointed to several conflicts and tensions around the world, including the Thailand-Cambodia conflict, the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Sudan and Iran in the straits.“The international system is not in good shape right now... it would be great if we had a functional international system, for example, that could deal with a war between Thailand and Cambodia that occurred or the potential conflict between India and Pakistan,” Rubio said.“Right now, we don't seem to have a functional international system that can address it. And in the absence of that, nation-states will act in their national interest,” he said.Rubio also made clear that Washington would continue to prioritise US interests, saying, “We will never put the international order above the interest of the United States.”Flags India-Pakistan tensionsRubio’s remarks come against the backdrop of India and Pakistan’s military hostilities in 2025 following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed.India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the attack, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Following Indian strikes on terror launchpads, military action between the two countries was paused on May 10 after Pakistan approached India for cessation of hostilities.US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for stopping the India-Pakistan fighting and has said his administration helped broker an understanding between the two sides.India, however, has consistently rejected any suggestion of third-party mediation, maintaining that the cessation of military action was reached directly between India and Pakistan through their respective military channels.Rubio said several world leaders had also raised concerns about the current international framework, arguing that it had expanded beyond its original purpose and was failing to resolve major conflicts.“I think multiple leaders... pointed to the fact that the international system is failing, and it's failing because it has grown beyond its mandate. It has grown beyond its intent,” Rubio said.He alleged that the system had become involved in areas beyond its intended role while remaining unable to resolve major conflicts.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.