Remarks by EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar at High Level Meeting of Like-Minded Global South Countries, New York

Excellencies, Friends, thank you all for joining us this afternoon.

We meet in increasingly uncertain times, when the state of the world is a cause for mounting concern for member states. The Global South in particular, is confronted with a set of challenges which have heightened in the first half of this decade. They include the shocks of the Covid pandemic, two major conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, extreme climate events, volatility in trade, uncertainty in investment flows and interest rates, and the catastrophic slowing down of the SDG agenda. Most of all, the rights and expectations of developing countries in the international system – which has been so assiduously developed over many many decades – are today under challenge.

In face of such proliferation of concerns and multiplicity of risks, it is natural that the Global South would turn to multilateralism for solutions. Unfortunately, there too we are presented with a very disappointing prospect. The very concept of multilateralism is under attack. International organizations are being rendered ineffective or starved of resources. The building blocks of the contemporary order are starting to come apart. And the cost of delaying much needed reforms is today starkly visible.

So as like-minded Global South countries, we today approach world affairs united, and through a broad set of principles and concepts, and these include:

- Fair and transparent economic practices that democratize production and enhance economic security

- A stable environment for balanced and sustainable economic interactions, including more South-South trade, investment and technology collaborations

- resilient, reliable and shorter supply chains that would reduce dependence on any single supplier or any single market

- An urgent resolution of conflicts that are impacting food, fertilizer and energy security

- The protection of global commons, including addressing maritime shipping concerns, HADR situations, environmental challenges, etc.

- A collaborative leveraging of technology for development, especially creation of a digital public infrastructure, and

- a fair and level playing field in different domains that do justice to the developmental concerns of the Global South.

Excellencies, Friends,

To get there, India would propose the following points for your collective consideration:

One, we utilize existing forums to strengthen consultations among Global South with a view to enhance solidarity and encourage collaboration.

Two, bring to the table specific strengths, experiences and achievements that we may have individually developed but which can actually benefit fellow Global South members. Some good examples of these are vaccine production, digital capabilities, education capacities, agro-practices and SME culture.

Three, in areas like climate action and climate justice, come up with initiatives that serve the Global South rather than justify the Global North.

Four, discuss the promise of technologies on the horizon, especially AI, and

Five, reform the United Nations and multilateralism as a whole.

So, with those thoughts, I look forward to hearing from you all, and once again, I really thank you – I think all of us know what a busy time it is, that we move from meeting to meeting, and I think any time any of us commit is a statement in itself.

So again, I want to say how pleased I am to see you all this evening, and back to you.

New York
September 23, 2025