New Delhi — The United Nations has strongly endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for sweeping reforms of the UN Security Council (UNSC), asserting that the current global governance framework “can no longer be delayed.”
Speaking at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, UN Secretary-General’s Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric emphasized that the existing structure, anchored by just five permanent members, is obsolete.
“Whether it is the Security Council or the international financial institutions or all sorts of other international institutions, they need to reflect 2026, and no longer 1945,” Dujarric stated, calling for an organization that matches current global realities.
The “Pyramid of Privilege” and Global South Representation
Opening the BRICS session on inclusive global governance, Prime Minister Modi criticized the current international architecture as a “pyramid of privilege,” where decision-making power is concentrated at the top while developing nations bear the brunt of global crises.
To bridge this gap, PM Modi proposed a BRICS Reform Roadmap centered around three core pillars:
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Representation: Linking text-based UNSC negotiations to a fixed timeframe and clear outcomes.
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Responsiveness: Elevating the voices of the Global South in crisis management and international decision-making.
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Rule-Making: Transforming exclusive structures into an equitable platform of partnership.
The New Delhi Declaration
The summit concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration, which commits member states to overhaul global governance, strengthen multilateralism, and reform the Bretton Woods Institutions—the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank—to better reflect modern economic weights.
Crucially, China and Russia, both permanent UNSC members, reiterated their explicit support for the aspirations of India and Brazil to secure a greater role within the UN Security Council.
India’s Role as a Bridge Builder
Beyond institutional reforms, UN Secretary-General António Guterres held bilateral discussions with PM Modi regarding ongoing geopolitical conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Acknowledging India’s diplomatic weight, the UN leadership lauded the country’s potential to act as a bridge builder to facilitate peaceful settlements.
The summit, hosted under India’s overarching theme of “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” marks a significant milestone in rallying developing economies toward a more democratic and representative international order.
