Jaishankar at BRICS Summit Seeks Fair Trade and UNSC Reform

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Representing PM Modi, India’s External Affairs Minister urged BRICS leaders to push for resilient supply chains, fair trade, climate justice, and UN reform amid global conflicts and economic volatility.

By TRH Global Affairs Desk

NEW DELHI, September 8, 2025 — Speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar struck a candid and urgent note at the virtual BRICS Summit, arguing that the current global order is failing under the weight of pandemics, wars, and economic shocks.

“The state of the world today is a cause for genuine concern,” Jaishankar told leaders, pointing to conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, volatile trade flows, climate disasters, and the stalling of the Sustainable Development Goals. In his view, these stresses expose the paralysis of the multilateral system — from the UN to global trading frameworks — and highlight the need for reform.

India, Jaishankar emphasized, sees BRICS as a platform to stabilize both the world economy and global order. He pressed for:

Resilient supply chains: Jaishankar argued for shorter, more reliable supply chains, democratization of manufacturing, and regional self-sufficiency to shield economies from shocks.
Fair and transparent trade: He rejected growing protectionism and attempts to link trade to non-trade matters, saying the BRICS bloc must set an example by reviewing internal trade deficits. “Some of India’s biggest deficits are with BRICS partners,” he pointedly noted.
Conflict resolution: With food, energy, and fertilizer insecurity escalating, especially across the Global South, Jaishankar said, “A selective protection cannot be a global answer. An early end to hostilities and diplomacy for durable solutions is the obvious pathway.”
Reformed multilateralism: He called for urgent reform of the UN and its Security Council, warning that gridlocks have paralyzed decision-making on major crises.
Climate justice: Cautioning that climate change has slipped down global priorities, Jaishankar urged BRICS to support India-led initiatives like the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and Global Biofuels Alliance.

By placing trade fairness, climate justice, and conflict resolution at the heart of his remarks, Jaishankar sought to position India as both a voice of the Global South and a reformist within BRICS. His underlying message was clear: without systemic reform, both development and global stability will remain hostage to gridlock and great power rivalries.

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