The Minister of State for External Affairs is of the view that the present international system is weak in responding to present-day challenges and also it is not truly representative in any manner

India has once again called for the reform of international systems like the UN to make them representative and in sync with the spirit of the contemporary world.

Speaking on the 20th Anniversary of the Warsaw Declaration on Friday, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said, “At the global level, the weaknesses in collective response to COVID-19 has put the spotlight on the limitations of the existing international system.”

He said, “We need a reformed multilateralism which (could) reflect contemporary realities and respond to present-day challenges.”

In a firm and categorical way, he said in the post-Covid world, “we need a new template of globalization, based on fairness, equality and humanity. We need international institutions that are more representative of today’s world.”

“Twenty years ago, inspired by our democratic values, we had come together to adopt this landmark declaration to emphasize our commitment to uphold democratic principles, and underline interdependence between democracy and development,” the Minister of State for External Affairs said.

Describing the Covid-19 pandemic as the most serious challenge faced by humanity on the earth, he said, “Our individual as well as collective response to this pandemic will determine how democracy as a mode of governance is judged by the world at large. It will have a significant impact on the consolidation of democracy in the world of tomorrow.”

Reminding the world about India’s attempt to confront the pandemic, while staying true to its democratic principles, he said, “While we care for our own citizens, India is also extending helping hands to other partners, in our neighbourhood and beyond.”

In this regard, he recalled how Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the lead to organize a meeting of Leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation or SAARC and participated in several international meetings such as the G-20 Summit and the NAM Contact Group Summit Meeting on COVID 19.

As a major producer of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies,” we have provided supplies to over 150 partner countries, proving our credentials as the pharmacy of the world. We have been ready to share India’s medical expertise with others. We are active in the global efforts to develop remedies and vaccines,” the Minister of State for External Affairs.