75th United Nations General Assembly

High-level meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations

(21 September 2020)

Statement by

H. E. Mr. Narendra Modi

Prime Minister of India

Your Excellency Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Namaste!

75 years ago, a new hope arose from the horrors of war. For the first time in human history, an institution was created for the entire world. As a founding signatory of the UN Charter, India was part of that noble vision. It reflected India’s own philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which sees all creation as a family.

Our world today is a better place because of the United Nations. We pay tribute to all those who have advanced the cause of peace and development under the UN flag, including in UN peacekeeping missions, where India had been a leading contributor.

However, while much has been achieved, the original mission remains incomplete.

The far-reaching Declaration that we are adopting today acknowledges that work still needs to be done in preventing conflict, in ensuring development, in addressing climate change, in reducing inequality and in leveraging digital technologies.

The Declaration also acknowledges the need for reform of the United Nations itself. We cannot fight today’s challenges with outdated structures. Without comprehensive reforms, the UN faces a crisis of confidence. For today’s interconnected world, we need a reformed multilateralism that reflects today’s realities, gives voice to all stake holders, addresses contemporary challenges and focuses on human welfare.

India looks forward to working with all other nations towards this end. Thank you. Namaste.

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