Advocating for a permanent seat for India at the United Nations Security Council, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said reform of established institutions has to be an aspiration and an enterprise in the interests of a more just world order. Addressing the 16th BRICS Summit at Kazan, Russia, he spoke in resonance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he stated, “This century should not be of war; this century should be of dialogue and diplomacy.”.
Dr. Jaishankar spoke of deeper changes sweeping through the global order but underlined that many historical inequities persist in modern avatars. He spoke of asymmetries in globalization and how the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with continuing conflicts, has further sharpened these for the Global South, whose preoccupations with health, food, and fuel security are now pressing.
He said, “The world threatens to lag behind in attaining sustainable development goals.” He suggested forming strengthened independent platforms to veer away from that and balance the global system, which would decrease reliance on leading actors. He reiterated calls for institutional reform, particularly at the UN Security Council and multilateral development banks, which he tagged “outdated.”.
Dr. Jaishankar underlined India’s long-standing demand for a permanent UN Security Council seat, supported by major powers like the U.S., U.K., and France. He further urged the democratization of the global economy through additional production hubs and greater resilience in supply chains, with the lessons learned during the pandemic as an added impetus.
Referring to the ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, he called for the resolution of disputes through dialogue, respect for international law, and zero tolerance for terrorism. He showed concern that any further escalation might take place in the Middle East and called for a fair and lasting way to achieve a two-state solution regarding Palestine.
