NEW DELHI
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for equal participation in global rule-making as well as reform of the UN Security Council.
Delivering an opening statement at the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, Modi said the bloc was at its “coming-of-age” moment.
“Today, the Global South is at the forefront of global crises. But it is in the back row of decision-making. We have to turn this pyramid of privilege into a platform of partnership,” he said, while addressing the two-day BRICS Leaders’ Summit in the Indian capital.
Proposing global governance reform, Modi said BRICS has to “focus on three main aspects of this roadmap (which include) representation, responsiveness, and rule-making.”
“First, I would like to say that the UN Security Council reform cannot be delayed any longer,” he stressed.
It is “important to ensure equal participation in deciding the global rules of the future,” said the Indian prime minister.
Noting that the BRICS bloc members “respect each other’s views and move forward with consensus,” Modi said, “We do not oppose anyone, but try to move forward with the thought of taking everyone along. Now is the time to turn our unity and co-operation on the global stage into strong results.”
Turning to economics, Modi said voting power, leadership positions, and policy priorities in financial institutions should be “based on today’s economic realities.”
“Countries that accelerate global economic growth should also play a role in guiding global economic governance,” he added.
The weekend summit in New Delhi is attended by the Chinese, Russian and Iranian presidents, among others, and comes at a time when the US-Iran war has dragged on for seven months, while the Russia-Ukraine war has continued for more than four years.
