In the ongoing 17th BRICS Summit at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned terrorism and declared that India will have ‘zero tolerance’ towards terrorists. Calling the Pahalgam terror attack an attack on the entire humanity, PM Modi said, “India’s position is a ‘zero tolerance’ approach towards terrorism.”
Supporting India’s approach towards terrorism, the BRICS group condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and said in a declaration, “We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.” The declaration further stated there will be an emphasis on the primary responsibility of states in combating terrorism and that efforts will be made globally to prevent and counter terrorist threats and ensure all nations must fully comply with their obligations under international law.
He also highlighted the ‘double standards’ towards the Global South. PM Modi highlighted how the Global South has been a major contributor towards the world economy and yet has never been given the due decision-making position, including key bodies like the UN Security Council.
Modi, while addressing the BRICS Summit, shared a fact that while the global institutions were formed in the 20th century, the Global South has never been given a decision-making position, only has been put on the receiving end and has received small gestures like climate finance, sustainable development, and technology access. “Without the Global South, these institutions seem like a mobile phone with a SIM card but no network,” he noted. He quoted, “The Global South has often been a victim of double standards. Whether it is about development, distribution of resources, or security-related issues.”
Raising a question of credibility and effectiveness, Modi said, “Countries that have a major contribution to today’s global economy have not been given a seat at the decision-making table. This is not just a question of representation, but also of credibility and effectiveness.”
Pressing on the need for an inclusive order, Modi called for reform: “There should be reform, not just symbolic but real impact. From governance structure, leadership position to voting rights, there should be visible change.” Challenges and problems of the Global South must be given priority in policy-making, he added.
Praising the expansion of BRICS as exemplary, he suggested similar expansion in institutions like the UN Security Council, WTO, and multilateral development banks. Modi said, “In the era of artificial intelligence, it is not acceptable that institutes that are decision-makers do not update themselves even after 80 years. In the 21st century, software cannot be run by 20th century typewriters.”
