Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the current global situation as a "world between orders", saying the limitations of the United Nations (UN) and other international institutions have become increasingly visible amid growing geopolitical tensions and complex global challenges. Addressing the NDTV World Summit on Thursday evening, Modi called for stronger global institutions, greater representation for the Global South and improved international cooperation. He stressed that global governance must adapt to changing realities as new economic powers emerge and countries seek a greater role in international decision-making. "We have to understand two things: First, why is the world's order changing, and why is the old global order unable to provide solutions to today's challenges? And second, what is India's role in this changing world". "The Second World War taught the world a big lesson," he added.

PM Modi Highlights Limitations of the United Nations

Modi said the United Nations was established after the Second World War to promote dialogue, cooperation and peaceful resolution of disputes. However, he argued that the organisation and other global institutions have struggled to respond effectively to the changing international landscape. "The world understood that world systems cannot run solely on the basis of power and interests. Dialogue is necessary, cooperation is necessary, and the resolution of disputes is also necessary. This sentiment laid the foundation of the United Nations (UN). For decades, the UN played its role in promoting global cooperation and peace. But with time, the world kept changing. New aspirations emerged, new economies and new powers arose. The challenges before the world became much more complex than before," he said at the NDTV's event. "The United Nations and other global institutions have had their historical role, but in the face of today's challenges, their limits are clearly visible. Now new powers are emerging, new voices are demanding their place, and new challenges are demanding new solutions," Modi further remarked. He called for reforms to make global institutions more representative and capable of addressing emerging crises. "The changing world order calls for stronger global institutions, a greater voice for the Global South and international cooperation that stands firm in times of crisis," he said.

Trade, Technology and Sea Routes Being Used as Weapons

Modi warned that trade, technology and maritime routes were increasingly being "being weaponised", referring to the growing use of economic and strategic resources as tools of geopolitical pressure. His remarks appeared to point towards tensions involving the US-Iran conflict in West Asia and other international disputes. He also cited ancient Indian thinker Chanakya, referring to the Sanskrit phrase 'apranitah tu matsyanyayam udbhavayati'. The saying describes how a lack of effective rules can create a situation in which the powerful dominate the weak.

Jaishankar Also Calls for UN Reforms

Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticised the functioning of the United Nations, describing it as "gridlocked". Speaking at the fifth Kautilya Economic Conclave in Delhi, he said the organisation had played a limited role in decision-making on major international crises, including conflicts in Ukraine and the Gulf. "Where the UN is concerned, I think it's obvious to everybody by now that the UN is gridlocked. If you look at the big issues of the day, whether you look at the conflict in the Gulf, whether you look at the conflict in Ukraine, whether you look at other issues in Africa, whether you look at Covid, actually, the United Nations has been largely irrelevant to the decision-making," Jaishankar said. He also questioned whether the UN Security Council adequately represented global interests. "I think, again there's a widely held view that a lot of it is because the (UN) Security Council is gridlocked, that the Security Council no longer represents the entirety of the global interest," he said. Modi and Jaishankar's remarks highlight India's call for reforming international institutions to improve their effectiveness and give emerging economies a stronger voice in global affairs. Stay tuned with JUSZNEWS for more updates. 🔖Tags: Narendra Modi, United Nations, Global South, Global Order, S Jaishankar