In a major development that will further boost Indiaโs standing in the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces the โAarogya Maitriโ project at the Concluding Leadersโ Session of the two-day virtual โVoice of Global South Summitโ.
He also called for human-centric globalisation and reiterated Indiaโs demand for United Nations Security Council reforms.
The ambitious โAarogya Maitriโ project will see India providing essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises.
โI 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,โ PM Modi said on January 13.
The project follows the success of PM Modiโs much-acclaimed โvaccine maitriโ project, which saw India make the COVID vaccine available to a world that lacked the resources to source it from the West.
PM Modiโs efforts during a time of global crisis were lauded around the world, particularly in developing and underdeveloped countries. The โvaccine maitriโ initiative also helped Indiaโs 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.
โWe 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,โ 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.
โHappy to announce that India will establish a global south centre โ 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,โ 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.
โFor synergising our diplomatic voice, I propose a โGlobal-South Young Diplomats Forumโ, to connect youthful officers of our foreign ministries. India will also institute โGlobal-South Scholarshipsโ for students from developing countries to pursue higher education in India,โ he said.
Calling for reforms at the UNSC, PM Modi said, โWe developing countries are also concerned about the increasing fragmentation of the international landscape. These geopolitical tensions distract us from focusing on our development priorities.โ
โTo 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,โ he said.
