Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the rights of the Global South have been long denied and this has led to a feeling of anguish among these countries while underlying India’s role as a bridge between them and the Western world.
In an interview with the French financial newspaper Les Echos ahead of his arrival in France, Modi advocated a comprehensive reshuffle of the international institutions. He said as the most populous in the world, India needs to regain its rightful place. “How can the UN Security Council claim to speak for the world when its most populous country, and its largest democracy, is not a permanent member?” .
Modi called French President Emmanuel Macron a strategic partner in the Asia-Pacific region who shared his views on the international order.
The interview was published as Modi on Thursday left for France for the first leg of his two-nation tour during which he will be the guest of honour at the annual Bastille Day Parade in Paris and hold talks with Macron on cooperation in areas such as defence and space.
Modi will be the first foreign leader since 2017 to be the chief guest at the parade marking the storming during the French Revolution (1789) of the Bastille fortress, a symbol of the monarchy. Then-US President Donald Trump was invited to the national day parade in 2017.
Asked about China pouring massive sums of money to boost its defence capabilities and whether it is threatening the security in the region, Modi told Les Echos India’s interests in the Indo-Pacific region are vast, and its engagement is deep. “I have described our vision for this region in one word - SAGAR, which stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region. While peace is necessary for the future we seek to build, it is far from assured.”
He said India has always stood for peaceful resolution of differences through dialogue and diplomacy, and for respecting sovereignty of all nations, international law, and the rules-based international order. “This is more important than ever for maintaining mutual trust and confidence. We believe that it is through this that a positive contribution can be made towards lasting regional and global peace and stability.”
Responding to a question on what he expected from France in terms of strategic support in the stand-off with China, Modi said New Delhi and Paris have a broad-based and comprehensive strategic partnership that encompasses political, defence, security, economic, human-centric development, and sustainable cooperation. “When countries with similar vision and values work together, bilaterally, in plurilateral arrangements or in regional institutions, they can deal with any challenge.”
Modi underlined that India-France partnership, including in the Indo-Pacific region, is not directed against, or at the expense of any country. “Our aim is to safeguard our economic and security interests, ensure freedom of navigation and commerce, and advance the rule of international law in the region. We work with other countries to develop their capabilities and support their efforts to make free sovereign choices. More broadly, we aim to advance peace and stability in the region.”
Asked whether India was going to firm up its stance on the Ukraine war, Modi said he has spoken a number of times to President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky. “I met President Zelensky in Hiroshima. Recently, I spoke to President Putin again. India’s stand has been clear, transparent, and consistent. I have said that it is not an era of war. We have urged both sides to resolve issues through dialogue and diplomacy. I told them that India is ready to support all genuine efforts that can help bring this conflict to an end.”
He said India believes that all countries have an obligation to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries, abide by international law, and adhere to the UN Charter. “We are also deeply concerned about the impact of the conflict on the wider world, especially the Global South. Countries already suffering from the impact of the Covid pandemic now face energy, food, and health crisis, economic slowdown, inflation, and rising debt burden.”
Modi said philosophies from every corner of the world have to be considered and that the world would make quick progress only when it learns to let go of anachronistic and outdated notions. “There is one earth but not one philosophy,” said Modi. He spoke about Indian power and the global reach of India’s cinema and music, the renewed interest in Ayurveda medicine, and the universal success of Yoga.
Modi called youth India’s strongest asset and said the country’s young and skilled workforce will be an asset for the world over the decades to come when many countries in the world are ageing and their populations are shrinking. “What is unique is that this workforce is steeped in openness and democratic values, eager to embrace technology, and ready to adapt to the changing world. ...Indian diaspora, wherever they are, contribute towards the prosperity of their adopted homeland. The progress of one-sixth of humanity will give the world a more prosperous and sustainable future,” he said in response to a question on how India as the most populous country changes its status on the world scene.
Modi said as the world’s largest democracy, with unparalleled social and economic diversity, India’s success will demonstrate that democracy delivers. “That it is possible for harmony to exist amidst diversity. At the same time, there is a natural expectation of adjustments in the international system and institutions to give the rightful place to the world’s largest democracy.”
When asked to elaborate on what he means by saying that India is gaining its rightful position in the world, Modi said he would rather term it as regaining its rightful place. “Since time immemorial, India has been at the forefront of contributing to global economic growth, technological advancement, and human development. Today, across the world, we see a lot of problems and challenges. Recession, food security, inflation, and social tensions are just some of them. In such a global backdrop, I see a renewed confidence in our people, an optimism about the future, and an eagerness to take its rightful place in the world.”
Asked about a phenomenal rise in the relationship between India and the US since the turn of the century, Modi said it has accelerated and reached new levels in the past nine years. “There is widespread support for deepening our ties, from all stakeholders, in both countries - be it government, parliament, industry, academia, and of course the people. The US Congress has consistently extended bipartisan support for elevating our relationship.”
Modi said he has personally enjoyed an excellent rapport with US leadership, across different administrations over the last nine years. “During my state visit to the United States in June, President Joe Biden and I agreed that the partnership between the world’s two largest democracies with exceptionally strong people-to-people ties could be the defining partnership of this century. This is because this partnership is perfectly placed in terms of interests, vision, commitments, and complementarities to address the challenges of our times and contribute in a significant way to shaping the global order.”
He said the India-US partnership is responding with a great sense of urgency and purpose as the challenges to the international order have grown. “Trust, mutual confidence, and belief in the relationship have been key ingredients. Advancing a free, open, inclusive, and balanced Indo-Pacific region, is a shared goal. We pursue this with other partners in the region and beyond.”
He said they were working together to advance standards and norms, build resilient global supply chains, including in critical and emerging technologies, pursue a successful green energy transition, catalyse manufacturing in key sectors, and forge a robust defence industrial partnership. “We are working together with other countries in the region and beyond and revitalising multilateral institutions. These are all important shared goals that are driving the partnership. There is much that binds our two nations together and allows us to play a constructive role in addressing the challenges of our times and contributing in a significant way to shaping the global order.”
Modi called for an honest discussion about the multilateral governance structures built in the aftermath of the Second World War. “Nearly eight decades after the institutions were created, the world has transformed. The number of member countries has grown by four times. The character of the global economy has changed. We live in an era of new technology. New powers have risen causing a relative shift in global balance. We face new challenges, including climate change, cyber security, terrorism, space security, and pandemics. I could go on about the changes.”
He said in this changed world, many questions arise. “...are these [structures] representative of today’s world? Are they able to discharge the roles for which they were set up? Do countries around the world feel that these organizations matter, or are relevant?” He said the UN Security Council, in particular, epitomises this dissonance. “How can we talk of it as a primary organ of a global body, when entire continents of Africa and Latin America are ignored? How can it claim to speak for the world when its most populous country, and its largest democracy, is not a permanent member? And its skewed membership leads to opaque decision-making processes, which adds to its helplessness in addressing the challenges of today.”
He said most countries are clear on what changes they would like to see in the UN Security Council, including on the role India should play. “We just need to listen to their voice and heed their advice. I must appreciate the clear and consistent position that France has taken in this matter.”
Asked about his vision for India in 2047, Modi said they were working with a clear one for the 100th anniversary of India’s independence. “We want to see India become a developed country in 2047. A developed economy that caters to the needs of all its people - education, health, infrastructure and opportunities. India will remain a vibrant and participative federal democracy, in which all citizens are secure about their rights, confident of their place in the nation and optimistic about their future.”
He said India will be a global leader in innovation and technology. “A nation with sustainable lifestyles, clean rivers, blue skies and forests brimming with biodiversity and alive with wildlife. Our economy will be a hub of opportunities, an engine for global growth and its source of skills and talent. India will be a strong testimony to the power of democracy. We will help advance a more balanced multipolar world, anchored in international law and underpinned by the discipline of multilateralism.”
He said India’s economic development has always been guided by a people-centric approach. “We have tried to implement decisions that take along the most disadvantaged. Our focus on last-mile connectivity, on reaching out to every household, has been extremely successful. Harnessing digital technology has been a key element in this..”
He referred to India’s demographic dividend, deep roots in democracy, and civilizational spirit and said they will guide the way as it moves towards the future. “We recognize our responsibility in contributing to addressing global challenges, building a more cohesive world, giving voice to the aspirations of the weak, and advancing global peace and prosperity. India brings its own unique and distinct perspective and voice to the global discourse...it always stands in favour of peace, a fairer economic order, the concerns of the weaker nations and global cohesion in addressing our common challenges.”
He said India’s belief in multilateral action is deep-rooted. “The International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the One Sun, One World, One Grid initiative, and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiatives are all examples of this approach.”
He referred to the supply of Covid vaccines to over 100 countries and the sharing of the open-source digital platform CoWin freely with others and said there is a global recognition that India is a force of good in the world and indispensable for global unity, cohesion, peace, and prosperity at a time of great turmoil and risks of fragmentation. “As India grows, our contribution towards global good will further increase, and our capabilities and resources will continue to be directed towards the larger good of humanity, not to raise claims against others or challenge the international order.”
Modi said India’s civilizational ethos and heritage provide the basis of what could be termed its soft power. “We are blessed to have this in abundance. Our exports have never been war and subjugation, but yoga, ayurveda, spirituality, science, mathematics, and astronomy. We have always been a contributor to global peace and progress.”
He said they are privileged that there is renewed interest in Indian culture and civilization. “Yoga is a household term today. Our traditional medicine of Ayurveda is gaining acceptance. Indian cinema, cuisine, music and dance are being sought after across the world.”
He said coexistence with nature drives India’s climate actions and the drive for sustainable lifestyles. “Our innate belief in democratic ideals and the success of our vibrant democracy drive our desire to see a more accountable, inclusive, and representative system of international governance, and provide hope and inspiration to many.”