PM Modi Calls for Overhaul of Global Institutions at BRICS Summit

Modi's Strong Critique of Global Institutions

Rio de Janeiro: During the BRICS summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed strong criticism of the outdated UN Security Council and other global institutions, emphasizing their diminishing relevance in today's world. He used technology analogies to highlight the need for reform, stating that '21st-century software cannot function on a 20th-century typewriter.'

Modi further remarked, 'Without the Global South, global institutions resemble a mobile phone with a SIM card but no network,' underscoring the necessity for these institutions to adapt to contemporary realities.

In his keynote address, he pointed out that the expansion of BRICS signifies its ability to evolve and called for similar reforms in organizations like the UN Security Council, WTO, and multilateral development banks.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who opened the summit, echoed Modi's sentiments, advocating for reforms that would amplify the voice of the Global South in international financial and development institutions.

Modi highlighted the need for reform in the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, noting that the WTO's regulations often disadvantage many countries in the Global South.

He lamented that the Global South has frequently faced double standards and its interests have not been prioritized due to inadequate representation in these institutions.

On pressing global challenges such as climate finance and sustainable development, Modi criticized the token gestures offered to the Global South, attributing this to the outdated institutions established in the 20th century that fail to represent two-thirds of the world's population.

He likened these institutions to mobile phones lacking SIM cards, rendering them ineffective. Modi also stated, 'In this age of AI, where technology evolves weekly, it is unacceptable that global institutions have not updated even once in eighty years.'

The recent inclusion of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Indonesia into BRICS was seen by Modi as a clear indication of the Global South's demand for rightful representation in international bodies.

Both India and Brazil aspire to secure permanent seats on a reformed Security Council.