Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged member states at Brics summit to transform Global South from a “rule-taker” into a “rule-shaper”, saying that India is prepared to take the lead in equipping policymakers across the bloc with necessary training.
Speaking at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the Indian leader proposed formulating a reform roadmap before the regional bloc’s next summit and stressed the need for every member state to have a voice, reports NDTV.
To facilitate this, Modi offered to provide young diplomats and policymakers from Global South nations with negotiation skills, practical training, and legal expertise.
Addressing world leaders, he said developing nations currently stand at the centre of global crises while lacking decision-making authority.
“Today, the Global South stands in the front row of global crises but in the back row of decision-making,” Modi said, advocating for a shift from a “pyramid of privilege” to a “platform of partnership” centred on human development.
The high-level session is attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Modi suggested collectively formulating 10 proposals for global governance reform, which could be developed into a “Brics Reform Roadmap” prior to the next summit. He outlined three core pillars for this roadmap: representation, responsiveness, and rule-making.
On representation, the Indian prime minister asserted that reforms in the United Nations Security Council can no longer be delayed, calling for text-based negotiations tied to a definitive timeline and tangible outcomes.
He also emphasised that leadership positions, voting power, and policy priorities in international financial institutions must align with concurrent economic realities.
India is hosting the annual meeting as the regional grouping marks two decades, with its chairmanship guided by a people-centric and humanity-first approach. Modi highlighted resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability as the bloc’s key priorities.
Observing that Brics has reached a new phase of maturity and responsibility after 20 years, Modi underlined that the group moves forward through mutual respect and consensus without being against anyone.
He urged member states to translate their unity into concrete global outcomes and work towards an ambitious agenda for the next 20 years.
