Brics must chart the course of global reform to ensure that the Global South has a greater say in decision-making and the existing “pyramid of privilege” in global governance makes way for a “platform of partnership”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while addressing the Brics Summit on Saturday amid growing geopolitical fragmentation.
Modi unveiled a 10-point roadmap for global governance reform under the Brics framework and proposed a “Seafarers’ Emergency Support Network” to safeguard mariners facing heightened risks due to regional conflicts.
He made the remarks at the opening session of the summit being held at a time when the global economy is grappling with the fallout of the conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine war, and the US administration’s trade and tariff policies.
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Among the Brics leaders attending the summit are Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and the leaders of partner countries such as Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
A “pyramid of privilege”
With Brics emerging as a key bloc over the past two decades, Modi called for a “new and ambitious agenda” for the grouping for the next 20 years to address pressing global challenges. “The current structure of global governance resembles a pyramid: power and decision-making are concentrated at the top, while the lower tiers consist of nations that are affected by these decisions but unable to shape them,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}With Brics emerging as a key bloc over the past two decades, Modi called for a “new and ambitious agenda” for the grouping for the next 20 years to address pressing global challenges. “The current structure of global governance resembles a pyramid: power and decision-making are concentrated at the top, while the lower tiers consist of nations that are affected by these decisions but unable to shape them,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Today, the Global South stands in the front row of global crises but in the back row of decision-making. We must transform this ‘pyramid of privilege’ into a ‘platform of partnership’ – one where every nation has a voice, every member has a stake, and the development of humanity lies at the heart of every effort,” he said.
Modi added: “We must work to transform the Global South from rule-takers into rule-shapers.”
PM Modi pushes for representation and reform
India has sought to position itself as the voice of the Global South and raised the pressing concerns of developing countries such as the food, fuel and fertiliser shortages created by the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia.
Modi proposed that Brics should finalise a 10-point roadmap for global governance reforms by the time of the bloc’s next summit. “In formulating this roadmap, we must focus on three key aspects – representation, responsiveness and rule-making,” he said.
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In the context of representation, Modi said the reform of the UN Security Council cannot be postponed any longer and negotiations for this must be brought under a definite timeframe with clear outcomes.
“Similarly, voting power, leadership positions and policy priorities within financial institutions must align with today’s economic realities. Countries that drive global economic growth should play an appropriate role in shaping global economic governance,” he said.
In the context of rule-making, Modi said ensuring equal participation in defining future global rules is crucial. “AI, cyberspace, outer space, biotechnology, and critical technologies are shaping not only the opportunities of the future, but also the rules that will govern the future,” he said.
The main focus of Modi’s address was on reform of global governance and ways to strengthen Brics. Modi said Brics has reached a “coming of age” and established a distinct identity on the global stage.
“We respect each other’s perspectives and move forward through consensus. We strive to advance not by opposing anyone, but by taking everyone along. Now is the time for us to translate our unity and consensus within Brics into tangible results on the global stage,” he said.
“We need to work on a new and ambitious agenda for the next 20 years. We must begin this process with our own internal working systems. While the Brics presidency rotates annually, this should not disrupt our institutional momentum.”
“Continuing the momentum”
Modi also called for establishing a Brics continuity and implementation mechanism.
“This would enable the follow-up of all initiatives and outcomes through the ‘Troika’ arrangement. We could also create a secure digital repository to record the nodal point, timeframe and implementation status associated with every decision,” he said.
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In his remarks at the concluding session of the first day of the summit, Modi said the discussions showed how a changing world cannot be steered by outdated institutions and reforms are essential in representation, responsiveness and rule-making.
“We also emphasised that the Global South must have equal participation in the development of future technologies and the rules governing them,” he said.
“The New Delhi Declaration adopted today provides a clear direction for our shared resolve. It is now our responsibility to translate these resolutions into tangible results,” he added.