NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed the BRICS summit on Thursday, discussing the changing old (world) order and the need for reforms in institutions, particularly the United Nations (UN) to create a more equitable world.
He emphasised the importance of effectively resolving disputes and differences, adding that it is not an era of war.
Speaking at the BRICS Outreach session in Kazan, Jaishankar reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message of peace, emphasising that this is not an era of war.
He advocated for a two-state solution to the West Asian conflict, which has spread to include Gaza, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, and Israel.
Jaishankar said, "Addressing conflicts and tensions effectively is a particular need of the day. Prime Minister Modi has emphasised that this is not an era of war. Disputes and differences must be settled by dialogue and diplomacy. Agreements, once reached, must be scrupulously respected."
"International law should be adhered to, without exception and there should be zero tolerance for terrorism. The situation in the Middle East-West Asia for us is an understandable concern. There is widespread anxiety that the conflict would spread further in the region." the EAM said.
"Maritime trade has also been deeply affected. The human and material consequences of further escalation are truly serious. Any approach has to be fair and durable, leading to a two-state solution." he added.
Emphasising reforms as solutions in established institutions and mechanisms as the old order is changing, the Minister said "We face the paradox that even as forces of change have advanced, some long-standing issues have only become more complex."
The Foreign Minister added that the nations that attained independence from colonialism have accelerated their development and socio-economic progress.
“New capabilities emerged, facilitating the harnessing of more talent. This economic, political and cultural rebalancing has now reached a point where we can contemplate real multi-polarity. The BRICS itself is a statement of how the old order is changing.”
Jaishankar talked about "reforming established institutions and mechanisms, especially the UN Security Council in the permanent and the non-permanent categories. So too the multilateral development banks, whose working procedures are just as outdated as that of the UN."
Jaishankar, at the Kazan Expo International Exhibition Center, met with the heads of delegations from various countries at the BRICS Summit Outreach/BRICS Plus session.