PM Modi Demands Urgent Reform of Global Institutions to Empower the Global South

By siliconindia  |  Monday, 07 July 2025, 09:25:38 AM IST

PM Modi Demands Urgent Reform of Global Institutions to Empower the Global South
  • PM Modi called for urgent reforms of global institutions like the UN Security Council, WTO, World Bank, and IMF, criticizing their outdated structures.
  • He used tech metaphors, saying '21st-century software can’t run on a 20th-century typewriter' and likened institutions without Global South representation to phones without a network.
  • Modi hailed BRICS expansion as a sign of the Global South’s demand for fair representation and reiterated India’s aspiration for a permanent seat on a reformed UNSC.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a forceful call for reforming outdated global institutions during his address at the inaugural session of the BRICS Summit, criticizing the UN Security Council, WTO, and global financial bodies for failing to reflect the realities and aspirations of the 21st century.
Using sharp technology metaphors to underscore their irrelevance, Modi stated, “21st-century software can’t run on a 20th-century typewriter”. He emphasized that institutions such as the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), World Trade Organisation (WTO), World Bank, and International Monetary Fund (IMF) must evolve to accommodate the needs and voices of the Global South, which comprises the majority of the world’s population and emerging economies.
He further asserted, “Without the Global South, global institutions are like a mobile phone that may have a SIM but no network”, likening these outdated structures to technology without functionality.
Modi hailed the expansion of BRICS, with new members such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia, as evidence of a growing demand for more equitable global governance. “The expansion of BRICS clearly shows that BRICS is an organisation capable of changing itself with the times. Now, we need to show the same resolve for reforms in institutions like the UN Security Council, WTO, and multilateral development banks”, he said.
He expressed concern that the Global South has long been subjected to double standards, with their voices marginalized on critical global issues such as climate finance, sustainable development, and technology access. Despite contributing significantly to the global economy and growth, these nations have often been denied a seat at key decision-making tables.
Modi emphasized that this lack of representation has led to policies and rules skewed against the developing world. “In this era of AI, where technology updates weekly, it is unacceptable that global institutions haven’t undergone an update even once in eighty years”, he remarked.
Echoing Modi’s concerns, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also called for reforming the UNSC and financial institutions to ensure fair representation for developing nations.
India, alongside Brazil, continues to aspire for a permanent seat on a reformed Security Council amplifying the growing demand for inclusive and equitable global governance in the 21st century.

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