Madam President,
luxurious,
Honorable Members of the General Assembly,

Greetings and Namaskars from India’s 1.4 billion people!

I congratulate the President of the General Assembly, HE Mr. Philemon Yang, and strongly support the theme of the 79th UNGA, “Leaving No One Behind”.

Madam President,

We are gathered here at a difficult time. The world is yet to recover from the ravages of the Covid pandemic. The war in Ukraine has entered its third year. The Gaza conflict is gaining wider ramifications.

Across the Global South, development projects have stalled and SDG targets are falling short. But there is more.

Unfair trade practices threaten jobs, just as unviable projects increase debt levels. Any contact that undermines sovereignty and territorial integrity acquires strategic significance. Especially when it’s not a joint effort.

Technological advances, long a source of hope, are now just as troubling. Meteorological events occur with greater intensity and frequency. Food safety is as important as health safety.

Indeed, the world is conflicted, polarized and desperate. Communication has become difficult. Contracts even more. This is certainly not what the founders of the United Nations would have wanted of us.


Madam President,

Almost eight decades ago, the first steps towards the creation of the United Nations were taken right here, at Dumbarton Oaks. It was then refined at the Yalta Conference, finally being approved in San Francisco.

The debates of this period focused on how to ensure world peace, a prerequisite for global prosperity. Today we find both peace and prosperity equally threatened.

And that, Madam President, is because trust is gone and processes are broken. Countries have taken more out of the international system than they have put into it, disabling it in the process.

We see this clearly in every challenge and every crisis. Hence reform of multilateralism is an imperative.

The urgency of this call is highlighted by the theme of this meeting. Leaving no one behind means advancing peace, ensuring sustainable development and strengthening human dignity. This United Nations cannot be paralyzed in the face of division, conflict, terrorism and violence. It can be extended if access to food, fuel and fertilizer is threatened.

When there is a lack of restraint in capturing markets, it harms the livelihoods of others and the social fabric. Avoidance of climate action responsibilities by the developed world undermines the development prospects of the developing world.

Indeed, when resource scarcity limits the achievement of SDG goals, it threatens not only economies but also human dignity itself.

If the world is in such a state, this body should ask itself: How did this happen? The problems stem from structural flaws, political calculations, vested interests and yes, neglect of those left behind.

It is natural to feel overwhelmed by what we are facing now. After all, there are many dimensions, different moving parts, issues of the day and changing scenarios.

But every change has to start somewhere. And there’s no better place than where it all started. We, the members of the United Nations, must now resolve ourselves seriously and deliberately to this task.

Not because it is a struggle for influence or a jostle for positions. But because if we continue like this, the world is going to get worse. And that could mean more of us will be left behind.

Madam President,

As the world ponders these concerns, India has tried to respond in a variety of ways.

First, by focusing on the issues of the vulnerable, women, farmers and youth. and formulating targeted policies and measures for their improvement.

Guaranteed access to piped water, electricity, cooking gas and new homes is changing millions of lives. The gender gap has begun to close, be it in health, education or the workplace. Our food producers receive financial support at the click of a button, three times a year.

And the third-term government has made youth skills its top priority.

Second, by increasing employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, through stronger training and greater financial incentives. In the past decade, 495 million mudras have been lent to small businesses. 67% of them are women.

Equally stated, 6.56 million street vendors received 8.85 million Swanidhi loans. This is just in the last 4 years. 45% of the beneficiaries are again women.

Third, by creating templates that are replicable elsewhere. This could be digital delivery or enhancing the quality of governance and public services. In fact, making medicines and health facilities accessible and affordable.

Digital public infrastructure and people’s pharmacy are examples of what India can easily offer to the world today. It is also an alternative approach where technology is used for power and not for dominance.

Fourth, by encouraging the Global South to come together and voice their common concerns. To this end, we have convened three Global South Summits in August 2024.

And fifth, by contributing to the well-being of the world’s people and responding to the critical needs of people in need.

This includes launching projects in 78 countries, providing resources to neighbors and responding to HADR situations, delivering medicine and ensuring maritime safety and security.

Madam President,

Each of these dimensions of the scale of change underway in India indicates that the world’s problems can indeed be tackled. And that by working together, we can definitely create a bigger wave of lifting.

In these difficult times, Madam President, it is important to provide hope and restore optimism.

We have to show that big changes are possible, and not for long. Nothing is more powerful in this regard than the transformative potential of digital.

We have seen its impact in our daily lives in India in the last decade. This is seen when public benefits, from food assistance and housing to energy and health, are delivered effectively and widely. Or when small business loans and support to farmers are extended without using intermediaries.

In fact, when street vendors and the expat workforce confidently use fintech in their regular transactions. When services, delivery and benefits move seamlessly and transparently, fewer people will be left behind.

This, Madam President, is India’s experience and India’s relevance.

The potential for such leaps, coupled with people-centric policies and visionary leadership, can be real game-changers.

When India lands on the moon, builds its own 5G stack, ships vaccines around the world, embraces fintech or sets up several global centers of excellence, there is a message.

Our quest for ‘Wikisit Bharat’ or a developed India will understandably be watched closely.

Madam President,

One of the main reasons why so many are left behind is the unfairness of the current globalization model. High concentration of production has hollowed out many economies, affecting their employment and social stability.

Democratizing global production, building resilient supply chains, ensuring trusted digital services, and supporting an open source culture all promote prosperity at scale. There are economic answers, just as there are social answers.

Madam President,

The United Nations has always maintained that peace and development go hand in hand. Yet, while challenges to one have arisen, the other has not been given due importance.

Clearly, their economic implications for the vulnerable and vulnerable need to be highlighted. But we must also recognize that conflicts must be resolved on their own. The world cannot be fatalistic about the continuation of mass violence, indifferent to its wider consequences.

Be it the war in Ukraine or the conflict in Gaza, the international community looks for a quick solution. These feelings must be acknowledged and acted upon.

Madam President,

The United Nations is the mouthpiece of the global system of agreed principles and common goals. Respect for international law and commitments is paramount in this regard.

If we are to ensure global security and stability, it is imperative that those who seek to lead set the right example. Nor can we face serious violations of our fundamental principles.

Terrorism is against everything the world stands for. All its forms and manifestations must be strongly opposed. International terrorist sanctions by the United Nations should also not be withheld for political reasons.

Madam President,

Many countries are left behind by circumstances beyond their control. But some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences.

The best example of this is our neighboring country Pakistan. Unfortunately, their misdeeds also affect others, especially the neighborhood.

When this politics creates so much passion among its people, its GDP can only be measured by its exports in the form of radicalism and terrorism.

Today, we see the evils he tried to inflict on his society. It cannot blame the world. It’s just karma.

Madam President,

A dysfunctional nation encroaching on other people’s lands must be exposed and confronted. We heard some strange claims from him on this forum yesterday. So let me make India’s position very clear.

Pakistan’s policy of cross-border terrorism will never succeed. And no immunity can be expected from it. On the contrary, actions will certainly have consequences. The only issue resolved between us now is the cession of the illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan. And of course abandoning Pakistan’s long-standing attachment to terrorism.

Madam President,

The global system is inherently pluralistic and diverse. The United Nations started with 51 members. Now we are 193 years old. The world has changed a lot and so have its concerns and opportunities.

But to resolve both, and indeed to strengthen the order itself, it is important that the United Nations be the central platform for finding common ground.

And that it certainly cannot be by remaining unmoved.

Large parts of the world cannot be left behind when it comes to deciding the major issues of our time. An efficient and effective United Nations, a more representative United Nations and a fit-for-purpose United Nations are essential in the contemporary era.

So let’s send a clear message from this session of the United Nations General Assembly: We are determined not to be left behind. By coming together, sharing experiences, pooling resources and strengthening our resolve, we can change the world for the better.

I thank you, Madam President.

New York
28 September 2024