Time to walk together for global good, can triumph over trust deficit caused by war: Modi

We must move forward by fulfilling all our responsibilities with a human-centric approach, said PM Modi at the G20 Summit.

Conflict has deepened the trust deficit after the world came out of the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, as he opened the 18th G20 summit in New Delhi, albeit without directly referring to the Russia-Ukraine war.

With the summit taking place amid continuing tension between Russia and the West, led by the United States, over the former Soviet Union nation’s “special military operations” in Ukraine, the prime minister also called upon the G20 to end the trust deficit and build global trust and confidence.

“After the Covid-19 pandemic, a huge crisis of lack of trust has hit the world. War has deepened this trust deficit,” the prime minister said, chairing the inaugural session of the G20 summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. “Just as we can overcome the Covid-19, we can also overcome this crisis of mutual trust.”

“Today, as the president of the G-20, India invites the entire world to come together and, first and foremost, transform this global trust deficit into global trust and confidence,” he added.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict had cast a shadow over the G20 summit at Bali in Indonesia in November 2022. But ever since India took over the G20 presidency from Indonesia on December 1, 2022, it tried to save the agenda of the premier forum for international economic cooperation from the shadow of the war. It rather sought to focus on accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015, debt restructuring to help vulnerable nations in the ‘Global South’, transition from fossil fuel to green energy and financing by the developed nations to help the developing countries take mitigation and adaptation measures in response to the looming threat of climate change.

“This is a time for all of us to walk together, and the mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas' can become a guiding light for all of us,” the prime minister said, addressing the other G20 leaders on Saturday. “Whether it’s about the turbulence in the global economy, or the North-South divide, or the distance between East and West, management of food, fuel, and fertilizer or dealing with terrorism and cybersecurity, or ensuring health, energy, and water security, we must move towards concrete solutions for these challenges, not just for the present but also for future generations.”

The prime minister commenced his speech by referring to the edict inscribed in an ancient pillar near the venue of the G20 summit. “At the place where we are gathered today, just a few kilometers away from here, stands a pillar that is nearly two and a half thousand years old. Inscribed on this pillar in the Prakrit language are the words: ‘The welfare and happiness of humanity should always be ensured.’” He noted that India had given the message to the entire world 2,500 years ago.

He said that the 21st century was a time that had the potential to give a new direction to the entire world. “It's a time when years-old challenges demand new solutions from us. Therefore, we must move forward by fulfilling all our responsibilities with a human-centric approach.”