UNSC reforms no longer an option, but a necessity: PM Modi at India-Brazil-South Africa leaders’ meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the reform of the UN Security Council was no longer an option, but a necessity and asserted that the India-Brazil-South Africa troika should send a clear message for changes to institutions of global governance.

Addressing the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) leaders’ summit here, Modi said that at a time when the world appears fragmented and divided, IBSA can provide a message of unity, cooperation, and humanity.

He also proposed institutionalising the IBSA NSA-level meeting to strengthen security cooperation among the three countries.

“In the fight against terrorism, we must move forward in close coordination. There is no place for any double standards on such a serious issue,” Modi said at the meeting attended by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Highlighting technology’s crucial role in ensuring human-centric development, the Prime Minister also proposed establishing an ‘IBSA Digital Innovation Alliance’ to facilitate the sharing of Digital Public Infrastructure like UPI, health platforms like CoWIN, cybersecurity frameworks and women-led tech initiatives among the three countries.

Appreciating the IBSA Fund’s work in supporting projects across 40 countries in sectors like education, health, women empowerment and solar energy, he proposed the IBSA Fund for Climate Resilient Agriculture to further advance South-South cooperation.

Modi called the IBSA meeting as timely as it coincided with the first G20 Summit on African soil and marked the culmination of four consecutive G20 presidencies by Global South countries, out of which the last three were by the IBSA members.

This has resulted in several important initiatives focused on human-centric development, multilateral reform and sustainable growth, he said.

The Prime Minister said IBSA was not just a group of three countries but an important platform connecting three continents, three major democratic nations, and three major economies.

Modi also invited IBSA leaders to the AI Impact Summit to be held in India next year, even as he emphasised the grouping’s potential to contribute to the development of safe, trustworthy and human-centric AI norms.

The Prime Minister said IBSA can complement each other’s development and become an example for sustainable growth.

He highlighted cooperation opportunities in areas such as millets, natural farming, disaster resilience, green energy, traditional medicines and health security.

Later, in a post on social media, Modi said the IBSA reflects “our enduring commitment to strengthening the voice and aspirations of the Global South. IBSA is no ordinary grouping.”

“Ours is a bond that is heartfelt, carrying with it diversity, shared values and shared aspirations. All three IBSA nations have held the G20 Presidency in the last three years and have used this opportunity to further the human-centric agenda,” he said.

The IBSA grouping focuses on promoting South-South cooperation, pushing for reforms in global governance systems and enhancing collaboration among developing nations.

In September, IBSA foreign ministers - External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, and the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities of South Africa Sindisiwe Chikunga - had met on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly session in New York.

The ministers had called for an ambitious, comprehensive and profound reform of the United Nations, particularly the UN Security Council, to adapt it to contemporary geopolitical realities and address new global challenges.