New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said, “India supports dialogue and diplomacy… and not war,” as he spoke at a closed-door plenary session of the BRICS Summit in Russia.
Mr. Modi, who on Tuesday told Russia’s Vladimir Putin, whose country is at war with Ukraine, that “all conflict can be solved with dialogue,” emphasized his concern today and told the bloc of multiple challenges facing its members and the world at large, and called for action on those fronts instead.
“Our meeting is taking place at a time when the world is facing several pressing challenges. The world is also talking about the North-South and East-West divides. At this time, preventing inflation… ensuring food, energy, health, and water security… these are matters of priority. And, in this era of technology, new challenges have emerged, like misinformation (spread online) and cyber frauds like deepfakes…”
“At such a time, there are high expectations of the BRICS grouping, and I believe that we, as a diverse and inclusive platform, can play a positive role in all these areas,” the PM said.
“In this regard, our approach must remain people-centric. We have to tell the world BRICS is not divisive and that we support dialogue and diplomacy, and not war…” Mr. Modi said.
As an example, the Prime Minister pointed to the pandemic and how BRICS (which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the founding members) worked together, and said, “Just as we were able to overcome COVID, we can ensure a secure, strong, and prosperous future…”
The global war on terrorism—a particular focus of the Modi government—was also highlighted.
“In order to counter terrorism and terror financing, we need the single-minded and firm support of all… there is no place for double standards on this serious matter,” Mr. Modi asserted.
“We need to take active steps to stop the radicalization of youth in our countries.”
Regarding the inclusion of new member nations—Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates—Mr. Modi said, “India is ready to welcome new nations as ‘partner countries’.”
“In this regard, all decisions should be taken by consensus,” he said, adding, however, that “the views of BRICS founding members should be respected.”
Prime Minister Modi also expressed gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for hosting the BRICS Summit in Kazan and for his leadership of the bloc over the past 12 months. He acknowledged Russia’s efforts in fostering cooperation among BRICS members and emphasized the importance of continuity in the group’s agenda to address global challenges.
