THE Global South must become a “rule shaper” and the existing “pyramid of privilege” structure in global governance must give way to a “platform of partnership”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday while opening the two-day annual BRICS summit as trade friction and geopolitical instability trigger growing economic headwinds. The Prime Minister also unveiled a 10-point roadmap for global governance reform under the BRICS framework while advocating for a ‘Seafarers’ Emergency Support Network’ to safeguard sailors facing heightened risks from ongoing global and regional crises. Modi made the remarks in the presence of a galaxy of world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. In his remarks, Modi hailed BRICS for emerging as a key global body and called for a “new and ambitious agenda” for the grouping for the next 20 years so that it can effectively handle pressing global challenges.

 

The summit in New Delhi assumed greater significance as it is taking place amid a global economy facing the adverse impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war, the West Asia crisis, especially the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and the Trump administration’s trade and tariff policies. As the BRICS chair, India has placed the Global South at the heart of its agenda by seeking actionable solutions for food, energy, and supply chain security primarily to insulate developing nations from the economic consequences of conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. “The current structure of global governance resembles a pyramid: power and decision-making are concentrated at the top, while the lower tiers consist of nations that are affected by these decisions but unable to shape them,” Modi said. “Today, the Global South stands in the front row of global crises but in the back row of decision-making. We must transform this ‘pyramid of privilege’ into a ‘platform of partnership’ -- one where every nation has a voice, every member has a stake, and the development of humanity lies at the heart of every effort,” he said. To this end, the Prime Minister proposed that the BRICS jointly formulate a 10-point roadmap for global governance reform under the broader framework of the grouping’s reform roadmap. Modi said the roadmap should be finalised by the time of the next summit.