Modi calls for global south to move from rule-takers to rule-makers at BRICS Summit

KATHMANDU: The 18th BRICS Summit is underway in New Delhi, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a stronger role for the Global South in global decision-making.

Addressing the opening session of the summit, Modi said countries of the Global South should move beyond being merely “rule-takers” and become “rule-makers.” He said BRICS could take the lead in providing young diplomats with the necessary training and legal expertise to support this transition.

Marking two decades since the establishment of BRICS, Modi described the occasion as a moment of maturity for the grouping. He said it was time to turn lessons from the past into concrete outcomes on the international stage.

Opening the summit, Modi said BRICS was not formed against any particular country but was based on the principle of moving forward together. He proposed that the group develop a new and ambitious agenda for the next 20 years.

He also called for key institutional structures and secure digital systems to ensure continuity despite the annual rotation of the BRICS presidency.

Describing the current global governance system as a “pyramid of privilege,” Modi said it should be transformed into a platform based on partnership. He expressed concern that developing countries facing the front-line impact of major global crises often remain at the back of decision-making processes.

To address the issue, Modi called on member states to prepare a 10-point BRICS reform draft by the next summit.

He also called for urgent structural reforms of the United Nations Security Council and international financial institutions, saying the Security Council reform process should be linked to a clear timeline and measurable outcomes.

Modi argued that countries making significant contributions to global economic growth should have a corresponding role and greater authority in shaping international economic policies.

He further stressed that rule-making in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, cyberspace, space and biotechnology should not remain concentrated in the hands of a limited number of developed countries.