New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reiterated India’s call for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war and to return to the path of diplomacy.
Speaking at the G20 summit in Indonesia, Modi said, “I have repeatedly said that we have to find a way for a ceasefire in Ukraine and return to the path of diplomacy.”
He said that in the last century the Second World War had wreaked havoc in the world. “After that, the leaders of that time made a serious effort to take the path of peace. Now it is our turn. The onus lies on our shoulders to build a new world order for the post-Covid era,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that the need of the hour is to show “concrete and collective resolve” to ensure peace, harmony and security in the world. “I am confident that next year when the G20 meets in the holy land of Buddha and Gandhi, we will all agree to send a strong message of peace to the world.”
Addressing the session on food and energy security, Modi also underlined the global challenges of the Ukraine war, climate change and the COVID pandemic and their impact on global supply chains. “There is a crisis of essential, essential commodities all over the world. The challenge is more serious for the poorer citizens of every country.”
“We should also not hesitate to admit that multilateral institutions like the United Nations have failed on these issues. And we have all failed to make appropriate reforms in them. That’s why the world today has high hopes from the G20.”
Modi said India ensured food security for its 1.3 billion citizens during the pandemic and also supplied food grains to many needy countries. However, the current shortage of fertilizers poses a “big crisis” to food security.
“In India, for sustainable food security, we are promoting natural farming and re-popularizing nutritious and traditional food grains like millets. Millet can also solve global malnutrition and hunger. We all should celebrate the International Year of Millets with great enthusiasm next year,” the PM said and added, “Today’s fertilizer shortage is tomorrow’s food crisis, which the world will not have a solution for. We should have a mutual agreement to maintain the supply chain. Fertilizer and food grains both are stable and assured.”
Speaking on energy security, he said that India’s security on this front is critical for global development as it is the world’s fastest growing economy.
“We should not promote any restrictions on the supply of energy and stability in the energy market should be ensured,” Modi said.
“India is committed to clean energy and environment. By 2030, half of our electricity will be generated from renewable sources. A sustainable supply of timely and affordable finance and technology to developing countries is essential for an inclusive energy transition.”
“During India’s G20 chairmanship, we will work for a global consensus on all these issues,” Modi said.
India will host the next G20 summit in September 2023 in New Delhi.
PM Modi is expected to hold several bilateral meetings with G20 members and leaders of guest countries on the sidelines of the summit on Wednesday.
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