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Ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi next week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outrightly rejected the objections raised by Pakistan and China for holding meetings in Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh and asserted it was natural to hold meetings in every part of the country.It's natural to hold meets in every part of country,” PM Modi said in an exclusive interview with news agency PTI.
A G20 meeting was held at Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh on March 26 this year. China had skipped the meeting. Xi Jinping-led country does not recognise India's soveringity over Arunachal and claims that the state is a part of south Tibet.
The Prime Minister reflected on the significance of the G20 Summit scheduled to be held on September 9 and 10 and said that there are several impacts from India’s Presidency of the global event are “close to his heart”.
“Many positive impacts from India's G20 Presidency, some very close to my heart,” he said.
“In G20, our words and vision are seen by the world as a roadmap for the future and not merely ideas,” he added.
The Prime Minister assured India's support in the efforts to ensure world peace irrespective of the G20 Presidency.
"Whether as G20 President or not, we will support every effort to ensure peace across the world. We will continue constructive contribution well past our G20 Presidency," he said.
PM Modi said that the G20 ministerial decisions taken across all domains will prove to be "pivotal" for the world's future.
He noted that his government's domestic approach to addressing the most backward and neglected people is also guiding India at the global level.
"The theme of India's G20 Presidency 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' is not just a slogan but a comprehensive philosophy derived from our cultural ethos. Once seen simply as a large market, India now part of solutions to global challenges. India's G20 Presidency also sowed seeds of confidence in countries of the so-called third world," he said.
The Prime Minister advocated for Africa in G20 and said that there can be no future plan of earth that can succeed without all voices being heard.
"Over 1.5 crore Indians were involved in year-long G20 programmes. Africa is a top priority for us in G20; no future plan of earth can succeed without all voices being heard," he said.
PM Modi reiterated his vow to place India among the top three economies of the world in his next tenure.
“India will be in the top three economies of the world in the near future. Indians today have a great chance to lay the foundation for growth that will be remembered for the next thousand years. For long India was seen as a country of 1 billion hungry stomachs, now it is 1 billion aspirational minds, 2 billion skilled hands,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that India will be a developed nation by 2047 and will have no place for corruption, casteism, and communalism.
“India will be a developed nation by 2047; corruption, casteism, and communalism will have no place in our national life. The quality of life of our people will be at par with the best; will achieve this while caring for both nature and culture. We have democracy, demography, and diversity and we have now added fourth 'D' i.e. development,” he said.
“'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' can also be a guiding principle for the welfare of the world,” he added
Calling inflation a key issue the world is confronting at the moment, the Prime Minister said that India’s G20 Presidency suggested that anti-inflation policies in one country do not harm others.
He said that the framing of irresponsible financial policies may give short-term political results but are costly in long term.
“Inflation is a key issue faced by the world, our G20 Presidency led to recognition that anti-inflation policies in one country do not harm others. Timely, clear communication of policy stances is key to fighting global inflation. The poorest and most vulnerable suffer the most from irresponsible financial policies and populism. Irresponsible financial policies, populism may give short-term political results but extract great social, economic price in long term,” he said.
He highlighted that the political stability which was provided by his government at the Centre since 2014 has led to “several reforms and growth is its natural by-product”.
Prime Minister Modi cautioned on the issue of cyber threats and said that it has to be taken very seriously.
“Terrorists using darknet, metaverse, cryptocurrency to fulfill nefarious aims; can have implications for the social fabric of nations. Cyber threats must be taken very seriously; cyber terrorism, online radicalisation, and money laundering are just the tip of the iceberg. Cyberspace has introduced an entirely new dimension to the battle against illicit financial activities and terrorism. Global cooperation in fighting cyber crimes is not just desirable but inevitable,” he said.
“PM Modi says need to achieve a comprehensive international convention on countering the use of ICTs for criminal purposes. Fake news and deep fakes can cause chaos and loss of credibility of news sources, can be used to fuel social unrest,” PM Modi added.
The Prime Minister once again emphasised on dialogue and diplomacy as the “only way” to resolve different conflicts in different regions.
Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a telephonic conversation with PM Modi, informed him that he would not be able to attend the G20 Summit in person as he has to focus on a "special military operation" in Ukraine
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