Condemning terror should be principle, not convenience: PM Modi

The Brics summit saw PM Modi Sunday making a passionate plea for reforming global institutions, while also coming down heavily on the issue of terror. "Condemning terror should be our principle, not just a convenience. If we first see in which country an attack took place and against whom, it will be a betrayal of humanity," he said.

Modi said the attack in Pahalgam was a blow not only to India but "entire humanity", adding there should be no hesitation in imposing sanctions against terrorists, and that victims and supporters of terror couldn't be weighed on the same scale.

Brics condemned in "the strongest terms" the Pahalgam attack , and backed a comprehensive reform of UNSC - two key takeaways for India from the Rio summit.

Path of peace only option for welfare of humanity: PM Modi

PM Modi also called upon Brics to adopt a clear and unified stance on overcoming terrorism . "On a subject like terrorism, there is no room for double standards. If any country provides direct or indirect support to terrorism, it must pay the price for it," the PM said.

"For personal or political gain, giving silent consent to terrorism, supporting terror or terrorists, should not be acceptable under any circumstances. There should be no difference between words and actions regarding terrorism," said the PM. "If we cannot do this, then the question naturally arises whether we are serious about the fight against terrorism or not," he added.

While describing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as a cause of great concern, Modi said India firmly believes that no matter how difficult the circumstances are, the path of peace is the only option for the welfare of humanity.

"India is the land of Lord Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. There is no place for war and violence for us. India supports every effort that takes the world away from division and conflict and leads it towards dialogue, cooperation and coordination, and increases solidarity and trust," he said.

On reforms, he said with Brics having included new members the same determination must be shown to reform institutions like UNSC, WTO, and multilateral development banks.

He sought to drive home his point on reforms by stating in his address that in the age of AI, where technology evolves every week, it's unacceptable for global institutions to go 80 years without reform. "You can't run 21st-century software on 20th-century typewriters," said the Prime Minister.

The PM said two-thirds of humanity still lack proper representation in global institutions built in the 20th century. "Many countries that play a key role in today's global economy are yet to be given a seat at the decision-making table. This is not just about representation, it's also about credibility and effectiveness," he said, adding that with the Global South , these institutions are like a mobile phone with a SIM card but no network.

They're unable to function properly or meet the challenges of the 21st century, said Modi, adding that the Global South has often faced double standards.

"Whether it's about development, distribution of resources, or security related matters, the interests of the Global South have not been given due importance," he said, adding that whether it's ongoing conflicts, the pandemic, economic crises, or emerging challenges in cyber or space, global institutions had failed to offer solutions.