Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday pushed for "single-minded" focus and "firm support" of all in combating terrorism, asserting that there is no room for "double standards" to deal with the challenge. In an address at the 16th BRICS Summit here, Modi also reiterated the need to take "active steps" to stop the radicalisation of youths.
Prime Minister Modi made the remarks in the presence of top leaders of BRICS nations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian. "To counter terrorism and terror financing, we need the single-minded, firm support of all," Modi said. "There is no place for double standards on this serious matter. We need to take active steps to stop the radicalization of youth in our countries," he added.
Modi's remarks that there is no place for "double standards" in combating terrorism assumed significance as China had blocked several proposals at the United Nations to designate Pakistan-based terrorists. "We must work together on the long pending matter in the UN of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism," Modi said. "The same way, we need to work on global regulations for cyber security and for safe and secure AI," he said.
In his address, Modi discussed expanding the BRICS. "India is willing to include new countries in BRICS as associate countries. However, in this matter, all decisions should be taken by consensus, and the views of BRICS founding members must be respected," Modi said. According to Modi, all the members and associate countries should follow guiding principles, norms, criteria, and procedures, which were decided at the Johannesburg summit in 2023.
Prime Minister said the BRICS is an organisation which is willing to evolve with time. "By giving our own example to the world, we must collectively and in a united manner raise our voice for reforms of global institutions," he said. "We must act with timelines on reform of global institutions like the UN Security Council, Multilateral development banks, and the WTO," he said. "As we take our efforts forward in BRICS, we have to be careful that this organisation does not acquire the image of one which is trying to replace global institutions instead of appearing as a one which wishes to reform them," he said.
