Prime Minister Narendra Modi who on Tuesday departed for a historic State visit to the United States said there is “unprecedented trust” between the leaders of the US and India as ties between New Delhi and Washington are “stronger and deeper” than ever, according to an interview in the Wall Street Journal.
India moves to secure what PM Modi sees as its rightful place on the world stage at a moment of geopolitical turmoil and overall, his message was that–from India’s role in global politics to its contributions to the world economy–the country’s time has come, the US publication said in the interview published today. He sought to portray New Delhi as the natural leader of the global South, in sync with and able to give voice to developing countries’ long-neglected aspiration, according to the WSJ.
“India deserves a much higher, deeper and wider profile and a role on the world stage,” the Prime Minister said in the interview with the Wall Street Journal at his residence in New Delhi taken ahead of his first official State visit to the US.
“We do not see India as supplanting any country. We see this process as India gaining its rightful position in the world,” PM Modi said.
PM Modi called for reforms to global institutions such as the United Nations to make them more representative in a multipolar world order and of the world’s less affluent countries from the consequences of climate change to debt reduction.
When asked whether India would like to be a permanent member of the Security Council, PM Modi said there has to be an evaluation of the current membership of the council and “The world should be asked if it wants India to be there.”
He said that India’s time has come in contributing to global politics and to the world economy as well.
Relating many of the world’s problems, such as terrorism, proxy wars and expansionism, to the failure of the UN, PM Modi said that global institutions such as the UN must change.
“Look at the membership of key institutions–does it truly represent the voice of democratic values?” the PM asked, adding, “A place like Africa–does it have a voice? India has such a huge population and is a bright spot in the global economy, but is it present?”
The Prime Minister underscored India’s role as a contributor of troops for peacekeeping operations around the world.
PM Modi also said that India not only tolerates but also celebrates its diversity.
He said, “For thousands of years, India has been the land where people of all faiths and beliefs have found the freedom to coexist peacefully and prosper,” adding, “You will find people of every faith in the world living in harmony in India.”
On the economic front, PM Modi has received acclaim for eliminating bureaucracy, easing regulations, and creating more favourable conditions for foreign direct investment. India is now the most populated country in the world, surpassing China. Additionally, it has a young population, which indicates a substantial demographic dividend.
PM Modi-led government has made significant investments in infrastructure and education, and as global corporations try to diversify their supply chains in a time of geopolitical unrest, the government stands to benefit, according to the WSJ report.
Regarding this PM Modi said, “Let me be clear that we do not see India as supplanting any country. We see this process as India gaining its rightful position in the world,” adding, “The world today is more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. To create resilience, there should be more diversification in supply chains,” Wall Street Journal reported.