With the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (Brics) grouping ready to adopt a new counterterrorism strategy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that countries that aid and support terrorists should be found guilty.
Participating in the virtual Brics Summit chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Modi said that multilateralism is going through a crisis and questions are being raised about global institutions as they have not changed with the times and are based on the mindset of ago 75 years.
Speaking apparently directed at Pakistan, Modi, who spoke in Hindi, said: “Terrorism is the biggest problem facing the world today. Countries that aid and support terrorists must also be found guilty. “
He described the completion of the Brics’ counter-terrorism strategy as a great achievement and said that India, as president of the Brics next year, will carry this work forward.
The Brics Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which will allow member states to develop common measures and coordinate more closely at the UN and other forums and promote the implementation of the UN’s global counter-terrorism strategy, will be adopted at Tuesday’s summit.
Modi’s statements on terrorism were backed by Putin, who said that some countries were like the “black sheep of the family” and that the world cannot afford any complacency in dealing with issues such as terrorism and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Noting that major geostrategic changes were taking place around the world, Modi said that these would affect security, stability and growth, and that the Brics will play an important role in addressing these issues.
Multilateralism is going through a crisis and questions are being raised about institutions as they have not changed over time and operate with outdated mindsets, he said. In addition to the UN Security Council, reforms are needed at the WTO, IMF and WHO, he added.
The BRIC countries, with 42% of the world’s population, will play a key role in the post-Covid-19 economic recovery and there is plenty of room to increase mutual trade, Modi said. India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which aims to make the country self-sufficient and resilient, can be a force multiplier for the post-Covid-19 economy and make contributions to global supply chains, he added.
Noting India and South Africa’s call for exemption from intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines, he sought the support of the other Brics members for this initiative.
This was the second time in a week that Modi and President Xi Jinping were on the same virtual platform since the India-China border clash came to light in May. The theme of the Brics Summit is “Global stability, shared security and innovative growth” and its agenda included cooperation within the Brics, key global issues such as the reform of the multilateral system, measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, the commerce, health and energy. .
.
