In his pre-recorded video statement for the historic General Debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, Modi said that stability in the United Nations and empowerment of the world body are essential for the well-being of the world.
The prime minister’s strong push for UN reforms and the long-overdue expansion of the powerful Security Council came as India began its two-year term as a non-permanent elected member of the 15-member Council from January 1 next. year.
“How long will India be kept out of the decision-making structures of the United Nations? How long will a country have to wait, particularly when the transformative changes taking place in that country affect a large part of the world? ” Modi asked.
He said that while it is a fact that the faith and respect that the United Nations enjoys among the 1.3 billion people in India is unparalleled, it is also true that the people of India have long been waiting for the process of United Nations reforms to complete.
“Today, the people of India are concerned whether this reform process will ever reach its logical conclusion,” he said, adding that all Indians today, seeing India’s contribution to the world organization, aspire to an expanded role for India in the United Nations.
“Reform in the responses, in the processes and in the very nature of the United Nations is the need of the moment,” he emphasized.
India has been spearheading decades-long efforts to reform the Security Council, saying that a structure established in 1945 does not reflect contemporary 21st century realities and is ill-equipped to handle current challenges.
There is widespread support, including from four of the five permanent members of the Security Council (the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Russia) for a permanent seat for India on the Council.
Modi said that India is a country that is the largest democracy in the world, with more than 18 percent of the world’s population, it has hundreds of languages, dialects, many sects and ideologies, that it was a leading global economy for centuries and also supported hundreds. years of foreign rule.
“When we were strong, we were never a threat to the world, when we were weak, we never became a burden to the world,” he said.
Modi emphasized that the world today is a completely different era from the world of 1945 when the global situation, sources-resources, problems-solutions were all very different.
“With changing times, if we don’t change, then the momentum necessary to achieve change will also weaken,” he said.
An objective evaluation of the performance of the United Nations over the past 75 years would yield several stellar achievements, but at the same time, there are also several cases that point to the need for “serious introspection of the work of the United Nations.” he said.
“Several terrorist attacks shook the world and rivers of blood have continued to flow,” he said.
“During those times and even today, we can suggest that the efforts of the United Nations to address these problems were sufficient,” he said.
Modi said that India will not hesitate to raise its voice against the enemies of humanity, including terrorism, smuggling of illegal weapons, drugs and money laundering, and will always speak out in support of peace, security and prosperity.
“Starting in January next year, India will also fulfill its responsibility as a non-permanent member of the Security Council. I express my gratitude to all member states that have placed this trust in India,” he said, referring to the overwhelming support the country received. during the June elections.
“As the largest democracy in the world, we will bring our years of rich experience to the benefit of the whole world,” he added.
Modi stressed that the ideals on which the UN was founded and India’s own fundamental philosophy have many points in common and are not different from each other.
“In the corridors of the United Nations, the words ‘the world is one family’ have often been heard,” he said, adding that it is part of India’s culture, character and thought to treat the whole world as one. single family.
“Also at the United Nations, India has always put the welfare of the whole world first,” he said, noting that India has sent its brave soldiers on some 50 peacekeeping missions around the world to keep the peace and in the course of peacekeeping. , has lost the maximum number of its brave soldiers.
“India’s experiences and India’s development journey marked with its ups and downs will only help to strengthen the path to global well-being,” he said.
“In the changing circumstances of the post-pandemic era, we are moving forward with the vision of a ‘self-sufficient India,'” which will also be a force multiplier for the global economy, he said.
“On its journey towards progress, India wants to learn from the world and share its own experiences with the world,” Modi added.
This year’s high-level UN General Assembly is being held in a largely virtual format due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier, the Permanent Representative of India to the UN, TS Tirumurti, delivered Modi’s pre-recorded statement from the General Assembly Hall.
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