PM Narendra Modi participated in the IBSA Leaders’ Meeting on G20 margins, stressing that UNSC reform is imperative, and said that there should be no room for double standards while fighting terrorism. PM Modi joined the trilateral mechanism meet hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and attended also by Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.While all three countries have had their share of problems with the US under Trump, diplomatic sources played down suggestions that the meeting was a response to the Americans as they cited the fact that a substantive IBSA summit meeting took place on the margins of 2024 G20 summit too in Rio.The US boycotted the G20 summit in South Africa because of alleged mistreatment of white Afrikaners.PM Modi said global institutions do not reflect the realities of 21st century. “None of us is a permanent member of UN Security Council. This clearly demonstrates that global institutions no longer represent today’s world. Therefore, IBSA must send a unified message to the world: institutional reform is not an option but imperative,” he said. “Similarly, we must work in close coordination in the fight against terrorism. On an issue of such gravity, there can be no room for double standards. For the sake of global peace and prosperity, united and decisive action is essential,” he added, calling for institutionalising the NSA-level meeting of the countries to strengthen security cooperation.Describing the meeting as timely, PM Modi noted it coincided with the first G20 summit on African soil and marked the culmination of four consecutive G20 presidencies by Global South countries, of which the last three were by IBSA members. This, he said, had resulted in several important initiatives focused on human-centric development, multilateral reform and sustainable growth. Modi emphasised IBSA is not just a group of three countries but an important platform connecting three continents, three major democratic nations and three major economies.“Highlighting technology’s crucial role in ensuring human-centric development, the PM proposed establishing an ‘IBSA Digital Innovation Alliance’ to facilitate sharing of Digital Public Infrastructure like UPI, health platforms like CoWIN, cybersecurity frameworks and women-led tech initiatives among the countries,” said an Indian readout, adding the PM also emphasised IBSA’s potential to contribute to development of safe, trustworthy and human-centric AI norms. He invited IBSA leaders to the AI summit next year.“Appreciating IBSA Fund’s work in supporting projects across 40 countries in sectors like education, health, women empowerment and solar energy, the PM proposed IBSA Fund for Climate Resilient Agriculture to further advance South-South Cooperation,” said the Indian government.
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