Modi calls for global governance reforms at Brics leaders’ meet

Reforms to the United Nations (UN) Security Council can't be delayed further, he said while stressing the need for fair representation at key global fora. This negotiation must be tied to a strict deadline and concrete outcomes, he added.

Currently, the UN Security Council has only five permanent members--the US, Russia, China, the UK and France--and India has been seeking its inclusion for a long time, given its key and growing global role and stature.

As for responsiveness, he said faith in global institutions will rise only when they can resolve global problems. “We must focus on the speed, scale, and last-mile impact of our collective response,” he said.

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Modi proposed ten specific reforms focused on representation, responsiveness, and rule-making within global governance, arguing for a greater role for the Global South in shaping decisions.

He emphasized that reforms can't be delayed further as the current structure favors a small number of nations, and urged for negotiations to be tied to strict deadlines and clear outcomes to ensure fair representation.

He aims to transform the Global South from being rule-takers into rule-shapers by providing young diplomats with negotiation skills and legal expertise, allowing them to play a more significant role in international rule-making.

The network aims to assist seafarers during emergencies by connecting them with maritime authorities and diplomatic missions to facilitate distress alerts and provide necessary support.

Modi suggests it should expand beyond economic cooperation to include global governance reforms, technology integration, and humanitarian efforts, creating a comprehensive approach to future challenges.

“We must work to transform the Global South from rule-takers into rule-shapers. Through Brics, we can provide young diplomats and policymakers from the countries of the Global South with negotiation skills, practical training, and legal expertise,” he said.

"We must convert this pyramid of privilege into a platform of partnership, where every country will have its voice and stake, and where humanity will be at the core of every effort."

Modi sought an ambitious agenda for the 20-year-old Brics for the next 20 years. While the presidency of the grouping is rotated among its members every year, institutional momentum and implementation of initiatives must continue uninterrupted, he said.

For this purpose, Brics can have a secured digital repository of decisions where each of them should have a nodal point, deadline and implementation status tied to it.

“The message of the Brics Summit being hosted by India should be loud and clear: If our future is shared, then the right to shape that future must also be shared,” he said. “From voice to impact, from privilege to partnership– this should be the resolve of Brics at 20.”

Modi also proposed setting up the seafarers emergency support network, saying that seafarers make a significant contribution to global trade yet often find themselves without adequate support during difficult times.

This network could connect the maritime authorities and missions of relevant countries and facilitate distress alerts, medical assistance, communication with families, and support for evacuation, he said.

Modi also said artificial intelligence, cyberspace, outer space, biotechnology, and critical technologies are shaping not just the opportunities of the future, but also the rules that will govern them.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for a bigger role for Brics in reforming the international governance structure currently dominated by a “privileged few”, as he sought to use New Delhi's presidency of the grouping to push for a new order in which the Global South has a vital part in deciding its fate.

Addressing the heads of state and other senior leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the inaugural session of the two-day Brics Leadership Summit in New Delhi, Modi proposed that the group work together to formulate ten proposals for global governance reforms, focusing on three key aspects: representation, responsiveness and rule-making.

These proposals could be developed into a reform roadmap by the next Brics Summit in 2027, he said.

Voting rights, leadership positions and policy priorities at global financial institutions must reflect today's realities, he said. Countries that act as the current engines of global growth must also be given a proportionate role to shape the world's economic policy direction, the Prime Minister added.

The existing global governance structure resembles a pyramid where a few dictate the rules at the top for others to follow, he said. The Global South, he underscored, is now at the "front row of the global crisis" but at the "back row of decision-making".

While the 11 members of Brics collectively account for about 40% of the global gross domestic product, their voting rights at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are less than a fifth of the total. India has remained one of the world's fastest-growing major economy since 2021-22, contributing significantly to global growth amid widespread turmoil.

About the Author

Harsh Kumar is a policy reporter at Mint (HT Media Group), where he covers the Ministry of Commerce and Industry along with key departments of the Ministry of Finance, including the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and the Department of Financial Services (DFS). With over five years of experience in business and economic journalism, he has developed strong expertise in tracking policy developments and their wider economic impact.<br><br>He has previously worked with Business Standard, Moneycontrol, and Outlook Money, where he reported extensively on banking, financial services, and the broader economy. Over the years, he has built a reputation for delivering accurate, insightful, and impactful stories, supported by a keen eye for detail and a consistent track record of breaking exclusive news.<br><br>An alumnus of Jamia Millia Islamia, Harsh closely follows regulatory changes and key economic trends shaping India’s financial and industrial landscape. His reporting aims to simplify complex policy issues for a wider audience while maintaining depth and credibility.<br><br>Outside of work, he enjoys tracking policy developments, finding scoops, and travelling, reflecting his curiosity about how economic decisions shape everyday life.

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