In a written interview with African journalists at the Editors Forum of the third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) here, Modi said that the world is undergoing political, economic and technological transition on a scale rarely seen in recent history.
“We have four times as many member countries in the United Nations as we had at its inception. Awareness of rights and aspirations for progress is more widespread now. Global power is more distributed,” he said, adding hence, global political, economic and security institutions must become more democratic, inclusive and representative of the world.
“No institution will have that character today, if it does not give voice to Africa or the world’s largest democracy, constituting one-sixth of humanity. That is why we ask for reforms of the United Nations Security Council and global financial institutions. India and Africa, constituting one-third of the global population, must continue to speak in one voice for these reforms,” he said.
Modi said the digitally networked world is changing the character of the global economy while threats to peace and security have become more complex, unpredictable and undefined.
“In many ways, our lives are becoming globalized, but fault-lines around our identities are growing. Terrorism, cyber and space are entirely new frontiers of threats, opportunities and challenges. Climate change is a pressing global challenge.
“The developing world is dealing with complexities of a new wave of urbanization. Yet the global order, its institutions and our mindsets continue to reflect the circumstances that existed at the end of the last World War,” he said, adding these institutions must be reformed in order to remain effective and relevant in the new era.
“If global institutions and systems do not adapt, they will risk irrelevance. We might have a more fragmented world and our collective ability to deal with the challenges and changes of our era will also be weakened. That is why India advocates reforms in global political, economic and security institutions,” he said.