The United Nations Is In A Need Of Urgent Reform: PM Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today (19 May), represents the Global South nations at the G7 summit in Hiroshima and aims to create alignment with the broader Group of 20 hosting he is responsible for this year, by voicing their concerns and promoting collaboration.

Prior to his arrival in Japan on Friday evening, the Prime Minister of India, in an interview with Asia Nikkei at the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi, expressed his eagerness to discuss global challenges in energy, digital technology, and supply chains.

He emphasised India’s role as a dependable partner in addressing these challenges, stating that its experience would resonate strongly with other meeting attendees.

Despite being a non-member of G-7, India was invited to the summit by its host and Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, who is keen on strengthening ties with the developing world.

During the summit, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the shared values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law that have brought the two nations closer together.

Although there are some shared interests between India and wealthy democracies of the G-7, Hiroshima has the potential for friction due to India's reluctance to condemn Russian's invasion of Ukraine.

The G-7's focus on further tightening sanctions on Moscow has not been embraced by India, which has a strong military partnership with Russia.

Although India has advocated for peace and Modi has conveyed this message to a face-to-face meeting with President Putin, India has continued to participate in substantial business deals with Russia.

Modi, the Prime Minister of India, emphasises the country's unwavering commitment to peace and supporting those struggling to meet their basic needs amidst increasing expenses.

He stresses the importance of cooperation and collaboration between nations, advocating for communication with both Russia and Ukraine. Conflict should not define the times, but rather collective efforts towards progress and prosperity.

The G-7 nations aim to align India with their rules-based global order, but India's complex geopolitical stance makes it a difficult ally to classify.

India is part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) with the U.S., Japan, and Australia.

The foreign secretary stated that the Quad will be organizing its own summit in Hiroshima since US President Joe Biden cut his Asia trip short. The quartet was initially scheduled to meet in Sydney next week.

Modi will visit the US, a crucial strategic partner, next month.

India, a member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization led by China and Russia, does not align itself with security alliances. Modi emphasized their engagement with friends and partners worldwide, based on national interests.

India's participation in the Quad and SCO groups is not mutually exclusive, as both groups serve different purposes. The Quad countries aim to promote an inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, while the SCO plays a key role in India's engagements with Central Asia.

Modi stated that as a part of Global South, they aim to act as a mediator between different perspectives and support a productive and optimistic plan in any plurilateral arrangement.

In December, India assumed the G-20 presidency. The country then hosted the virtual inaugural Voice of Global South summit in January.

With 125 countries in attendance, the discussions emphasized the need for international bodies to undergo reform to achieve greater representation.

Modi discussed United Nations reform, including India's bid for a permanent Security Council seat, and recognised limitations in global governance institutions confined by outdated mindsets.

The UN's handling of challenges like climate change, COVID-19, terrorism, and financial crises has exposed its shortcomings, Modi said.

He believes that the Security Council's credibility will always be in doubt if it fails to include the world's biggest democracy and entire regions such as Africa and Latin America on a permanent basis.

Japan's G-7 reached out to Brazil and Comoros, the African Union's chair, as part of their efforts to engage with different continents.

Modi discussed India's tense ties with close neighbors, China and Pakistan.

Addressing the ongoing Himalayan border standoff with China, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that India is dedicated to safeguarding its sovereignty and dignity while following the principles of sovereignty, rule of law and peaceful resolution of disputes.

Tensions between India and China have escalated since a clash in 2020 resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers - the first fatal conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations in many years.

Modi stressed the importance of peace and tranquility at the border for bilateral relations with China. He emphasised the need for mutual respect, sensitivity, and interests for the future development of India-China relations, stating that improving ties would benefit the region and the world.

Modi expressed India's desire for "normal and neighbourly relations" with Pakistan, its rival since 1947.

India's fast-growing economy was noted by the Prime Minister in regards to his domestic priorities.

According to him, they have made progress by moving up from the tenth largest economy to the fifth largest globally. Despite the challenges posed by global headwinds, they have established a strong foundation in recent times that is advantageous to them.

His aim is to develop India into a developed country within 25 years, in time for Independence Day's centennial celebration.