In a historic speech, at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave a clarion call for a “New World Order.” The quintessential principle of the New World Order will be global peace, he said. Echoing the call and efforts for a new world order sought after the Second World War, Modi added we need a new world order in the post-Covid period. Emphasizing ceasefire in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and adding a message of peace Modi, referring to India’s upcoming G20 presidency, said: “I am confident that next year when the G20 meets in the Holy land of Buddha and Gandhi, we will all agree to convey a strong message of peace to the world.”
Havoc in today’s world
“There is havoc in the world,” today primarily caused by the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the Covid pandemic, and global warming due to climate change given the pollution and all of these have left “global supply chains in ruins,” said Modi. This has triggered a “crisis of essentials”.
The poor citizens face severe challenges
With a tone of empathy for the hoi polloi, Modi reiterated that “the challenge for the poor citizens of every country is more severe.” Everyday life was already a struggle for them. “They do not have the financial capacity to deal with the double whammy. Due to the double whammy, they lack the financial capacity to handle it,” added Modi.
Multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, have miserably failed to deal with recent global challenges Modi emphatically declared. “And we have all failed to make suitable reforms in them,” Modi admitted. Addressing a G20 session on Food and Energy Security, Modi sought stability in the energy market, which has recently been threatened by the European Union sanctions on Russia as well as the G7 arbitrary price cap on Russian oil. Modi called for a return to the “path of ceasefire and diplomacy,” to resolve the Ukraine conflict, and in open defiance to the NATO imposed sanctions, fervently opposed any restrictions on the supply of essential energy amid the West’s call against procurement of discounted Russian oil and gas.
Modi emphasized that India’s energy security is very important for global growth as the country continues to be the world’s fastest-growing economy (See page 12 for the Morgan Stanley report on a surging India). Identifying the fertiliser scarcity and describing how it destroys the food security of poor countries,
Today’s fertiliser shortage is tomorrow’s food crisis
Modi underlined the need to maintain a “stable supply chain” for both manure and food grains. Linking the fertiliser shortage to food shortage, Modi said: “Today’s fertiliser shortage is tomorrow’s food crisis.”
In a pre-departure statement, Modi highlighted India’s achievements and its unwavering commitment to collectively address global issues. He also noted that India’s upcoming presidency of the G20 will be grounded on the theme “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”
This isn’t the era of war: Modi
Modi’s call to Russian President Vladimir Putin that “this is not an era of War, let’s talk peace,” appeared in the communique which was forged in Bali, during the G20 summit. The Indian delegation led by Sherpa Amitabh Kant has sought that the communique reflects the language of the UN resolution on Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
“Yeh yug yudh ka nahi hai (this is not the era of war),” Modi’s message to Putin in a bilateral meeting while underlying the significance of Democracy, Dialogue and Diplomacy, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, during 15-16 September, became the key input in the official communique.
Furthermore, key issues that is in India’s interest such as Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE), significance of startups is likely to find a mention in the communique. Modi’s pacifist message has found resonance globally with key world leaders lauding Modi’s message to Putin.
