Lack of global unity on terror dents UN Principles: PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that lack of “global unity” on the fight against terrorism “dents” the principles which form the basis of the creation of the UN system.

In a veiled but obvious reference to the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy by countries such as Pakistan, Modi said India’s message was not of war, but peace, and that’s the reason its call against terrorism comes with “seriousness” and “outrage”.

“The lack of unanimity amongst us on the issue of terrorism dents those very principles that are the basis for the creation of the UN. And that is why, for the sake of humanity, I firmly believe that it is absolutely imperative that the world unites against terrorism, and that the world stands as one against terrorism,” Modi said in his address to the UNGA.


The message was meant to point out the fact that the UN has failed so far to adopt the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) mooted by India in 1996. PM Modi, without mentioning CCIT, emphasised the importance of standing united on the issue.

“We belong to a country that has given the world not war, but Buddha’s message of peace,” the Prime Minister said.

“That is the reason our voice against terrorism, to alert the world about this evil, rings with seriousness and the outrage. We believe that this is one of the biggest challenges, not for any single country, but for the entire world and humanity,” Modi said in what was his second address to the UNGA after his maiden speech in 2014, when he was elected PM for the first time.

The PM also highlighted that the largest number of military personnel killed in UN peacekeeping missions were from India. “In this new era, we will have to give new direction to multilateralism, and to the UN,” he said. India has been seeking a place at the high table of the UN as a permanent member.

Besides the emphasis on the fight against terror, Modi sought to outline his vision for India’s rise as a responsible global power, making several references to the country’s non-exploitative development partnership, climate change initiatives and diverse culture.

He used the world’s biggest stage to rest any doubts over language feuds in India, as he identified Tamil as the “most ancient language in India” while quoting a Tamil poet to make the point that India’s sense of belongingness extends beyond its borders — “We belong to all places and to everyone.”

The PM said his government’s motto was: “Collective efforts, for growth of all, with everyone’s trust.”

Referring to India’s initiatives to fight climate change, the PM said India has initiated the formation of the ‘Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure’, or CDRI. “This coalition will help build infrastructure that can withstand natural disasters,” he said.

Among India’s other initiatives, PM Modi listed Clean India Mission, Ayushman Bharat, the financial inclusion scheme, water conservation, road infrastructure and the ban against single-use plastic.

“Our endeavours are neither an expression of pity, nor a pretence. They are inspired by a sense of duty, and duty alone… The efforts are ours, but the fruits are for all, for the entire world,” he said.