Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi on Monday, demanding reforms to the United Nations. He highlighted the body’s expansion from 51 to 193 members and said its decision‑making structure no longer reflects global realities. Modi called for a stronger voice for the Global South and a new governance framework that could address contemporary challenges.
Earlier this year, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar warned that the UN was ‘grid‑locked’ and that a handful of powerful states were blocking reforms.
Modi’s remarks echo a long‑running Indian push for reform. He said new powers demand a larger seat at the table and that the UN’s old mechanisms are inadequate for crises like climate change and cyber threats. The speech was met with applause from the audience, including diplomats and civil‑society leaders.
India will submit a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly in September, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs. The draft will seek to overhaul the Security Council and expand the election of non‑permanent members. The proposal will be debated in the next General Assembly session, with a vote expected in early 2027.
A small family from Odisha, displaced by the 2024 cyclone, attended the summit, hoping that reforms would lead to better disaster‑response funding.