Reform in the responses and the processes, and in the very character of the United Nations (UN) is the need of the hour and India cannot be kept out of the body's decision-making structures for long, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 26.
"Today, people of India are concerned whether this reform-process will ever reach its logical conclusion. For how long will India be kept out of the decision-making structures of the United Nations?" PM Modi said during his address.
Talking about the COVID-19 pandemic, PM Modi said that as the largest vaccine producing country in the world, India's capacity will be "used to help all humanity in fighting this crisis".
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"In India and in our neighbourhood, we are moving ahead with phase 3 clinical trials in India. India will also help all the countries in enhancing their cold chain and storage capacities for the delivery of the vaccines," the prime minister said.
"India is that country, which in the course of maintaining peace, has lost the maximum number of its brave soldiers. Today every Indian, while seeing the contribution of India in UN, aspires for India’s expanded role in the United Nations," PM Modi said.
The prime minister also said that when India was strong, the country was never a threat to the world.
"(And) when we were weak, we never became a burden. Ideals on which the the UN was founded and India's very own fundamental philosophy have much in common. Within the halls of the UN, one has often heard the words, the world is one family. We treat the whole world as a family," PM Modi said, adding that during the COVID-19 pandemic, India's pharma industry has sent medicines to over 150 countries.
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"Starting from January next year, India will also fulfil its responsibility as a non-permanent member of the Security Council. India will always speak in support of peace, security and prosperity," PM Modi said.
India will take over the non-permanent member position at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) from January 2021 for a period of two years.
"Over the past few years, with the mantra of Reform-Perform-Transform, India has brought about major changes in the lives of crores of Indians. These experiences are as useful for many countries of the world as for us," the prime minister said, adding that India is moving forward with the vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.
"A self-reliant India will also be a force multiplier for the global economy," the prime minister said.
The prime minister also said that the challenges of 21st century are different from those of 1945 and the world today is facing newer problems.
"If we were to make an objective assessment of the performance of UN over the last 75 years, we see several stellar achievements. But at the same time, there are also several instances that point to the need for a serious introspection of the work of the United Nations," PM Modi said.
"Several terrorist attacks shook the world and rivers of blood have continued to flow by. In these wars and in these attacks, the people who died, they are people just like you and me," the prime minister said.
"Where is the United Nations in this joint fight against the pandemic? Where is its effective response?" PM Modi said.
The UN General Assembly this year is largely being held online due to the coronavirus pandemic. Majority of world leaders are delivering pre-recorded speeches at the summit in New York.
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