BRICS SUMMIT 2024: India supports dialogue, not war

Kazan/New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said "India supports dialogue and diplomacy... and not war" as he spoke at a closed-door plenary session of the BRICS Summit at Kazan, Russia.

PM Modi emphasised his concern and told the bloc of multiple challenges facing its members and the world at large, and called for action on those fronts instead. Modi told Russia's Vladimir Putin, whose country is at war with Ukraine, on Tuesday that "all conflicts can be solved with dialogue".

"Our meeting is taking place at a time when the world is facing several pressing challenges. The world is also talking about the North-South and East-West divides. At this time, preventing inflation... ensuring food, energy, health, and water security... these are matters of priority. And, in this era of technology, new challenges have emerged, like misinformation (spread online) and cyber frauds like deepfakes..."

"At such a time, there are high expectations of the BRICS grouping and I believe that we, as a diverse and inclusive platform, can play a positive role in all these areas," the PM said.

"In this regard, our approach must remain people centric. We have to tell the world BRICS is not divisive, and that we support dialogue and diplomacy, and not war ..." Modi said. As an example, the Prime Minister pointed to the pandemic and how BRICS (which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the founding members) worked together, and said, "Just as we were able to overcome Covid, we can create ensure a secure, strong, and prosperous future..."

"In order to counter terrorism and terror-financing, we need the single-minded and firm support of all... there is no place for double standards on this serious matter," Modi asserted. "We need to take active steps to stop radicalisation of youth in our countries."

The PM also pitched for reforms of global institutions like the United Nations Security Council.

“We should move forward in a timely manner for reforms in global institutions like UNSC, multilateral development banks, and World Trade Organization,” he said, while also cautioning BRICS members and partners against wanting to replace these institutions instead of reforming them.

On the introduction of ‘partner countries’ like Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates, Modi said he was happy the “extended family” is meeting for the first time. “In this regard all decisions should be taken by consensus,” he said, adding, “Guiding principles, standards, and procedures adopted at Johannesburg Summit should be followed by all member and partner countries.”

“In this regard, all decisions should be taken by consensus, and the views of BRICS founding members should be respected,” he said.

“The guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures adopted during the Johannesburg summit, should be complied with by all members and partner countries,” Modi noted.

Modi also argued that the hopes, aspirations and expectations of the countries of the Global South must also be kept in mind. “The BRICS grouping, created by the confluence of different viewpoints and ideologies, is a source of inspiration for the world, fostering positive cooperation,” he said. “Our diversity, respect for each other and our tradition of moving forward on the basis of consensus are the basis for our cooperation,” he added.

The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for hosting the BRICS Summit in Kazan and for his leadership of the bloc over the past 12 months. India and Russia share a “special and privileged strategic partnership”, he said.

At the conclusion of the summit, the leaders adopted the ‘Kazan Declaration’.

Russia has touted the BRICS Summit as a diplomatic triumph that shows Western attempts to isolate Moscow over the Ukraine conflict have failed. The United States has dismissed BRICS as a “geopolitical rival” but is concerned over Moscow flexing diplomatic muscles as the Ukraine war rages.