From Ukraine to Russia to France, Modi’s India wins global praise at UNGA

New York [US]: At the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session India has been winning praise from several developing and developed nations both for its economic and foreign policy.

Some of the most powerful voices, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French President Emmanuel Macron have referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s India in a positive light,
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also acknowledged the key role India can play in the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Countries like France, Jamaica and Portugal also heaped praise on India.

While referring to PM Modi’s earlier remarks to Russian President Vladimir Putin, France’s Macron was the first one to praise India, saying Narendra Modi, was right about the time being not right for war.

“It is not for revenge against the West or for opposing the West against the east. It is the time for a collective time for our sovereign equal states. To cope together with challenges, we face,” Macron said while referring to the conversation between PM Modi and Putin during the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Samarkand.

UN chief Guterres, in his message to a special ‘[email protected]’ event on showcasing the ‘India-UN Partnership in Action’, underlined that as home to the largest youth generation in history, India will be decisive in the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Looking ahead, India, home to the largest youth generation in history will be decisive in the success of the Sustainable Development Goals, and reiterating Prime Minister Modi – as you reform, the world transforms,” Guterres said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov “explicitly’ backed India for a permanent seat, straight 60 minutes after he met up with his Indian counterpart. Addressing the UNGA session, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said that the country sees India as a “key international actor” and a “worthy candidate for permanent membership within the Council.”

Another high-level delegate to praise India was Jamaica Foreign Minister Kamina J Smith, who expressed gratitude towards India for its assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith said that Kingston is grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Indian government, and its people for the vaccines during the pandemic.

Addressing a high-level UN General Assembly session here, the Foreign Minister said that India is a reliable partner. “From the very onset, India was a reliable partner whose assistance was critical to our pandemic response. India embraced a holistic and outward-looking vaccine diplomacy strategy. Jamaica was able to secure its first life-saving vaccines from India,” she said in New York.

Guyana Foreign Minister Hugh Hilton Todd also hailed India in UNGA. “Small countries like Guyana would have benefitted immensely from India’s growth trajectory as it has always been an economy that focuses on human development, putting humans ahead of any other form of development,” he said.

On Thursday, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa called for UNSC reform that should include representation of India, Brazil and Africa continent at the UN Security Council. Addressing the General Assembly, Costa advocated for a Security Council that incorporates a comprehensive view of security and gives fair representation to small countries.

Speaking on the long-pending issues of UN reforms, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that there has been a “shift” on the issue of UN reforms among the international community that was seen this week.

“In respect of UN reform, every General Assembly (session) you revisit that issue, but this time something has shifted. You can see that, you can sense that,” Jaishankar told reporters on Saturday as he wrapped up the New York leg of his visit to the US with his address to the UNGA high-level session.

Jaishankar said it is not that only he has sensed a shift on the issue of UN reforms. “I think everybody sensed a shift and it’s something which others actually brought up with me”.