Dialogue and diplomacy and not war India supports, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Brics Summit here on Wednesday, in an unambiguous message calling for resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict through peaceful negotiations.
During his address, the Prime Minister flagged concern over some of the pressing challenges that this group and the world at large are facing, such as wars, economic uncertainty, climate change, and terrorism, and said that Brics can play a positive role to take the world in the right path. "We support dialogue and diplomacy, not war. And just as we could overcome a challenge like Covid, we're well able to create new opportunities to make sure there's a secure, strong, and prosperous future for generations to come," he said.
Top leaders of Brics nations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, were in attendance at the summit. The prime minister also batted for concerted global efforts to deal with terrorism and that there must not be any "double standards" in fighting the menace.
"To check terrorism and terror funding, we need the unequivocal, strong support of all. There cannot be double standards on this grave matter. We have to act proactively to prevent the radicalization of our countries' youth. We have to work together on the long pending matter in the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism," he said. "The same way, we need to work on global regulations for cyber security and for safe and secure AI," he added.
Modi said India is ready to welcome new countries into Brics as partner countries. "In this regard, all decisions should be taken by consensus and the views of Brics founding members should be respected, he said. The guiding principles, standards, criteria, and procedures adopted during the Johannesburg summit, should be complied with by all members and partner countries, Modi noted.".
The PM also demanded reforms in the UN Security Council and other international institutions. "We must move forward in a time-bound manner on reforms in global institutions like the UN Security Council, Multilateral development banks, and the WTO," he said. "As we take our projects forward in Brics, we should not let this organization succeed in portraying itself as one that seeks to supplant global institutions when it would appear as one that wants to reform them," he said.
Modi also said that hopes, aspirations and expectations of the countries of the Global South must also be kept in mind. "The Brics grouping, created by the confluence of different viewpoints and ideologies, is a source of inspiration for the world, fostering positive cooperation," he said. "Our diversity, respect for each other and our tradition of moving forward on the basis of consensus are the basis for our cooperation," he added.
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