As the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (Brics) group adopted a new counterterrorism strategy on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for countries that aid and support terrorists to be found guilty.
Participating in the Brics Virtual Summit chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Modi called on the group’s members to support a move by India and South Africa to secure exemption of Covid-19 vaccines from intellectual property agreements.
Multilateralism, Modi said, is facing a crisis and questions are being raised about the functioning of global institutions, as they have not kept pace with the times and are based on the mindset of 75 years ago.
In an unspoken reference to Pakistan-backed terrorism, Modi, speaking in Hindi, said: “Terrorism is the biggest problem facing the world today. We must ensure that countries that help and support terrorists are also found guilty and this problem is resolved in an organized manner. ”
He described the completion of the Brics counter-terrorism strategy as a “major achievement” and said that India, as the president of the Brics from next year, will carry this work forward.
In a subsequent intervention, Modi suggested that the national security advisers of the BRIC states should discuss the formulation of a plan of action against terrorism.
The Brics counter-terrorism strategy, which will allow member states to develop common measures and coordinate more closely in the UN and other forums and promote the implementation of the UN’s global counter-terrorism strategy, was adopted at the end of the summit.
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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 problems such as terrorism and the pandemic.
With a group of developing countries led by India and South Africa ready to urge the World Trade Organization (WTO) this week to waive patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines to make them accessible to poor countries, Modi He said: “India and South Africa have proposed that Covid-19 vaccines and treatments be exempt from intellectual property agreements. We hope other Brics countries will support this. ”
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He added that India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used for the benefit of humanity.
Noting that significant geostrategic changes taking place around the world will affect security, stability and growth, Modi said the Brics will play an important role in addressing these issues.
The multilateral system is going through a crisis and doubts are being raised about the credibility of global institutions, as they have not changed with the times and are operating 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 scope to increase mutual trade, Modi said. India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which aims to make the country self-reliant and resilient, can be a force multiplier for the post-Covid-19 economy and contribute to global supply chains, he added.
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 Brics Summit’s theme was “Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth” and its agenda included global issues such as reform of the multilateral system and measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
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