BRICS Summit / Global South Confidence in BRICS Growing, Says PM Modi

New Delhi, Sep 13: At the closing session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi framed the bloc as a trusted voice for the Global South, declaring that its true strength lies in diversity and cooperation.

He emphasized that nations feel reassured within BRICS because “their voices are heard,” positioning the grouping as a platform where shared concerns and collective solutions take centre stage.

PM Modi emphasized the importance of balancing development with environmental protection, drawing on India’s civilisational ethos.

Also read: “Partners, Not Rivals”: Xi Jinping Calls for Deeper China‑India Cooperation

“In Indian civilisation, nature has been given the status of a mother. For centuries, it has been our belief that development and the environment are not alternatives to each other, but complements,” he remarked.

Highlighting initiatives under the BRICS framework, the Prime Minister said the bloc has worked to maintain equilibrium between human progress and ecological responsibility.

“In this direction, we have taken several initiatives. We have established the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for smart grids and energy storage. This will help make our clean energy systems more reliable, efficient, and accessible,” he noted.

He further stressed the need to integrate traditional knowledge with modern science, particularly in agriculture and climate adaptation.

“The Centres of Excellence for agroecology and regenerative agriculture will connect traditional knowledge with modern science. The principles developed for community-based climate adaptation will make indigenous knowledge an important foundation for climate action,” PM Modi said.

Turning to the role of BRICS in amplifying the voices of developing nations, he added: “I can say from my personal experience that the confidence of the countries of the Global South in BRICS has increased because their voices are heard in BRICS, their experiences are respected, and solutions are developed not just for them, but together with them. The strength of BRICS lies in our diversity and cooperation.”

Closing his remarks, PM Modi called for collective action despite differing national realities.

“We may be rooted in different realities, but together we rise through cooperation and blossom for humanity. May our diversity be our identity, may our cooperation be our inspiration and may our progress serve all humanity,” he concluded.

(IANS)