New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the existing global order and its institutions have failed to evolve at the same pace as the rapidly changing world, creating a widening gap between current realities and outdated decision-making systems.
Addressing the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi, the Prime Minister observed that the world is currently navigating a phase of transition, a “world between orders.”
He identified two central questions in this context: why the global order is shifting and why the old system is unable to address today’s challenges, and what role India should play in this evolving landscape.
Elaborating on the reasons behind the shift, PM Modi said the change was both natural and inevitable.
Recalling the lessons of the Second World War, he noted that a global order sustained solely on power and self-interest cannot endure. Dialogue, cooperation, and peaceful resolution of disputes are essential, principles that led to the creation of the United Nations.
However, he pointed out that the world has since undergone profound transformation. Aspirations have changed, new economic forces and powers have emerged, and technology has fundamentally altered society, the economy, and the very nature of power. Nations that were not present when the original global order was designed are now asserting their rightful place on the world stage.
“The question is, has the global order kept pace with these changes? The answer is no,” PM Modi asserted.
While acknowledging the historic role played by the United Nations and other international institutions, he stressed that their limitations in dealing with contemporary challenges have become clearly evident. New powers are rising, new voices are demanding inclusion, and new problems require fresh solutions. When the reality of the world changes but the mechanisms for decision-making remain stagnant, a growing disconnect emerges between the evolving global situation and the existing systems.
This, the Prime Minister said, is precisely what the world is witnessing today. The remarks underscored India’s long-standing call for reform of global institutions to make them more representative, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the 21st century.
(IANS)
