New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday drew global attentions towards “some people busy in spreading deadly viruses such as terrorism” even as the world is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without naming Pakistan, which has recently encouraged and abetted cross border terrorism in India’s border union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, Mr Modi said that some people are spreading fake news and doctored videos to divide communities and countries.
While addressing the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit through video conferencing, the prime minister said he would like to focus on positives. “On what we as a Movement can do together to help the world fight this health crisis.”
Recalling NAM as world’s moral voice, Mr Modi stressed on need to be inclusive. “Today, humanity faces its most serious crisis in many decades. At this time, NAM can help promote global solidarity. NAM has often been the world's moral voice. To retain this role, NAM must remain inclusive.”
Stating that India accounts for one-sixth of humanity, he said, “We are a developing country and a free society. During this crisis, we have shown how democracy, discipline and decisiveness can come together to create a genuine people’s movement.”
Talking about India’s rich civilization, the prime minister, “We see the whole world as one family. As we care for our own citizens, we are also extending help to other countries.”
To fight COVID-19 pandemic, “we have promoted coordination in our immediate neighbourhood. And, we are organising online training to share India’s medical expertise with many others. India is regarded as a pharmacy of the world, especially for affordable medicines,” Mr Modi added.
India has sent medical supplies to 123 countries to combat the spread of coronavirus, the prime minister said, “Despite our own needs, we have ensured medical supplies to over 123 partner countries, including 59 members of NAM.”
He also said India is active in global efforts to develop remedies and vaccines.
“India has the world’s oldest plant-based traditional medicine system. We have freely shared simple Ayurvedic home-remedies, to help people boost their natural immunity,” he said.
He also vouched for new world order based on fairness and equality post coronavirus pandemic.
“COVID-19 has shown us the limitations of the existing international system. 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. We need to promote human welfare, and not focus on economic growth alone. India has long championed such initiatives,” Mr Modi said.
“Many countries organize military drills. But India has taken the initiative to organize disaster management drills in our region and beyond,” he added.
He also said NAM should call upon the international community and the WHO to focus on building health-capacity in developing countries. “We should ensure equitable, affordable and timely access to health products and technologies for all,” he added.
“We should develop a platform for all NAM countries, to pool our experiences, best practices, crisis-management protocols, research, and resources,” the prime minister said.
The meeting was convened at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, in his capacity as the current chair of the Non-Aligned Movement.
Mr Modi was taking part in a NAM summit-level meeting for the first time after taking office in 2014.
The prime minister had not attended the NAM summits in 2016 and 2019.
