New York/New Delhi: Making a strong pitch for India’s inclusion as a permanent member of United Nations Security Council, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said “reform in the responses, in the processes, and in the very character of the United Nations is the need of the hour” and wondered as to how long India with its unique contribution to the UN will be “kept out of the decision-making structures” of the world body.
Addressing the 75th United Nations General Assembly in Hindi through video-conferencing, the Prime Minister said that the international community is faced with a very important question about the relevance of United Nations as the “requirements and challenges” of the present as well as the future are vastly different from those when the world body was constituted in 1945. “Reform in the responses, in the processes, and in the very character of the United Nations is the need of the hour. For how long will India be kept out of the decision-making structures of the United Nations?,” PM Modi asked.
“This is a country, which has hundreds of languages, hundreds of dialects, many sects, and many ideologies; This is a country, which was a leading global economy for centuries and also one which has endured hundreds of years of foreign rule. How long would a country have to wait particularly when the transformational changes happening in that country affect a large part of the world?” he asked.
Barring China, all other four permanent members of the UNSC have expressed support for India’s candidature for a permanent seat in the security council. Modi said that every Indian, while seeing the contribution of India in the United Nations, aspires for India’s expanded role in the body. He also referred to India’s contributions to about 50 UN peace missions over the decades.
“India has always given priority to the welfare of the whole world. India is the country, which sent its brave soldiers to about 50 peacekeeping missions the world over to keep peace. 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 the United Nations, aspires for India’s expanded role in the United Nations,” he said. He called for a “serious introspection of the work of the United Nations” as there have been several wars, terrorist attacks which shook the world.
Meanwhile, PM Modi also said India’s coronavirus vaccine production and delivery capacity will help all humanity in fighting the pandemic. “Even during these very difficult times of the raging pandemic, the pharmaceutical industry of India has sent essential medicines to more than 150 countries,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The phase-3 trial of the coronavirus vaccine “Covoxin” in India is scheduled to start in Lucknow and Gorakhpur from October. “As the largest vaccine producing country of the world, I want to give one more assurance to the global community today. India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used to help all humanity in fighting this crisis,” he added. Also, Serum Institute of India is all set to begin phase three trials of the Covishield Vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University at Sassoon General Hospital in Pune.
PM Modi said in India and in “our neighbourhood, we are moving ahead with phase 3 clinical trials in India” adding, “India will also help all the countries in enhancing their cold chain and storage capacities for the delivery of the vaccines.” Further in the address, PM Modi said despite the ongoing pandemic, India is moving towards a “Self Reliant India” adding that it would be a “ Force Multiplier for the Global Economy”.