NEW DELHI: At a time when nations and societies are becoming inwardlooking, India calls for more international cooperation. Global cooperation for local welfare is India’s call. Police forces across the world are not just protecting people, but are furthering social welfare. These are among the highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi address to the 90th General Assembly of Interpol, in New Delhi on October 18.
PM Modi said as Interpol celebrates 100 years of its inception in the year 2023, it’s time for retrospection as well as a time to decide the future. It is a great time to rejoice and reflect, learn from setbacks and look to the future with hope, he said. The Prime Minister highlighted the connection of Interpol philosophy with Indian culture and underlined the similarity between the Interpol’s motto of ‘Connecting Police with a Safer World’ with quote from the Vedas stating ‘Aano Bhadra Krtavo Yantu Vishwatah’ i.e. let noble thoughts come from all directions, which, he elaborated that it is a call for universal cooperation to make the world a better place.
Narendra Modi Prime Minister
Remarking on the country’s unique global outlook, the Prime Minister highlighted that India is one of the top contributors in sending brave men and women to the United Nations Peacekeeping operations. India, he said, over the years made sacrifices to make the world a better place even before it got independence. He further said that thousands of Indians have sacrificed their lives in world wars. Be it Covid vaccines or climate targets, India has shown a willingness to take the lead in any kind of crisis, he emphasised.
Underlining the geographical and cultural diversity of India, PM Modi said that the Indian Police, at the federal and state levels, cooperate to implement more than 900 national and around ten thousand state laws. India’s police forces work while respecting the diversity and rights of the people promised by the Constitution. They not only protect the people but also serve our democracy, he said.
The Prime Minister reminded about many emerging harmful globalized threats that the world faces such as terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking, poaching and organised crime. “The pace of change of these dangers is faster than earlier. When threats are global, the response cannot be just local! It is high time that the world comes together to defeat these threats”, he said.
Throwing light on the evils of transnational terrorism, he remarked that India has been combating it for several decades, even before the world recognised it. The Prime Minister elaborated that terrorism is no longer fought only in the physical space but is spreading rapidly through online radicalization and cyber threats.
Elaborating on the dangers of corruption, PM Modi said that corruption and financial crimes have harmed the welfare of the citizens of many countries. The corrupt find a way to park the proceeds of crime in different parts of the world. He emphasised that there is a need for the global community to work even faster to eliminate safe havens. “There can be no safe havens for the corrupt, terrorists, drug cartels, poaching gangs or organised crime. Such crimes against people in one place are crimes against everyone, crimes against humanity”, he said.
The Prime Minister continued: “Police and law enforcement agencies need to devise procedures and protocols to increase cooperation. Interpol can help by speeding up Red Corner Notices for fugitive offenders.” The Prime Minister remarked, “A safe and secure world is our shared responsibility. When the forces of good cooperate, the forces of crime cannot operate.”
