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PM Modi’s initiative aims to provide essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters
In a major development that will further boost India’s standing in the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces the ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project at the Concluding Leaders’ Session of the two-day virtual ‘Voice of Global South Summit’.
He also called for human-centric globalisation and reiterated India’s demand for United Nations Security Council reforms.
The ambitious ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project will see India providing essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises.
“I would like to announce a new Aarogya Maitri project. Under this project, India will provide essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises,” PM Modi said on January 13.
The project follows the success of PM Modi’s much-acclaimed ‘vaccine maitri’ project, which saw India make the COVID vaccine available to a world that lacked the resources to source it from the West.
PM Modi’s efforts during a time of global crisis were lauded around the world, particularly in developing and underdeveloped countries. The ‘vaccine maitri’ initiative also helped India’s stature on the world stage.
While globalisation was questioned after the developed Western world shut itself down following the COVID pandemic, PM Modi called for human-centric globalisation during his opening remarks at the Summit.
“We want globalisation that does not lead to unequal distribution of vaccines or over-concentrated global supply chains. Developing countries desire globalisation that does not create a climate or debt crisis,” PM Modi said.
PM Modi also stated that India will establish the Global South Science and Technology Initiative in order to share its expertise in areas such as space technology and nuclear energy.
He also said that India will establish the Global South Center of Excellence for research on developing solutions that can be scaled up and implemented around the world.
“Happy to announce that India will establish a global south centre – Centre of Excellence. This institution will conduct research on development solutions or best practices from any of our countries that can be scaled and implemented in other members of the global south,” Prime Minister Modi said during his speech.
PM Modi also proposed establishing a Global South Young Diplomats Forum to help young officers connect with foreign ministries.
“For synergising our diplomatic voice, I propose a ‘Global-South Young Diplomats Forum’, to connect youthful officers of our foreign ministries. India will also institute ‘Global-South Scholarships’ for students from developing countries to pursue higher education in India,” he said.
Calling for reforms at the UNSC, PM Modi said, “We developing countries are also concerned about the increasing fragmentation of the international landscape. These geopolitical tensions distract us from focusing on our development priorities.”
“To address this geopolitical fragmentation, we urgently need a fundamental reform of the major international organisations including the United Nations Security Council and the Bretton Woods institutions. These reforms should focus on giving voice to the concerns of the developing world and reflecting the realities of the 21st century,” he said.
