S. Kalyanaraman replies: It is true that the COVID-19 pandemic is global in scope and poses a non-military challenge to all of humanity. Yet, instead of boosting the notion of human security, the pandemic is likely to reinforce the traditional conception of national security because it is disrupting the flow of goods and people across borders, ushering in a global depression, reversing the process of globalisation, and turning countries inwards.

Rajeesh Kumar replies: The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on multilateral diplomacy are multifold. First, it has exposed the current crisis of multilateral institutions and exacerbated their decline. For instance, while the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seemed more paralysed, agencies like the World Health Organisation (WHO) suffered scepticism of accountability and effectiveness.