PM stresses on better cooperation among democracies for inclusiveness
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for better cooperation among democracies of the world with stress on increasing “inclusiveness and transparency” and affirmed that democratic spirit, including respect for rule of law and pluralistic ethos, is “ingrained in Indians”.
The Prime Minister said India where democratic traditions go back to the centuries has shown that “democracy can deliver”.
Addressing “the Democracy Summit” called by US President Joe Biden, the Prime Minister said he is proud to represent the world’s largest democracy at this summit.
“The democratic spirit is integral to our civilisation ethos,” said Modi reminding the summit that “elected republican city-states such as Lichhavi and Shakya flourished in India as far as 2,500 years back. The same democratic spirit is seen in the 10th century “Uttaramerur” inscription that codified the principles of democratic participation”.
“This very democratic spirit and ethos had made ancient India one of the most prosperous. Centuries of the colonial rule could not suppress the democratic spirit of the Indian people. It again found full expression with India’s Independence, and led to an unparalleled story in democratic nation-building over the last 75 years,” the Prime Minister told the summit called by President Biden inviting select 110 countries to focus on democracies and ways to promote their liberal ethos and preserve human rights.
The summit was billed by the White House as an opportunity for leaders and experts from some 110 countries to collaborate on defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights.
The countries not invited to the summit called it a subtle way of re-starting cold war.
Ahead of the summit, the Ambassadors to the US from China and Russia wrote a joint essay in the National Interest policy journal describing the Biden administration as exhibiting a “Cold-War mentality” that will “stoke up ideological confrontation and a rift in the world.”
Biden opened the first White House summit for democracy by sounding an alarm about a global slide for democratic institutions and called for world leaders to “lock arms” and demonstrate democracies can deliver.
Biden called it a critical moment for fellow leaders to redouble efforts on bolstering democracies.
Speaking for the robustness of the Indian democracy, Modi said, “It is a story of unprecedented socio-economic inclusion in all spheres. It is a story of constant improvements in health, education, and human well-being at an unimaginable scale.
“The India story has one clear message to the world. That democracy can deliver, that democracy has delivered and that democracy will continue to deliver.”
“The structural features like multi-party elections, an independent judiciary, and free media - are important instruments of democracy. However, the basic strength of democracy is the spirit and ethos that lie within our citizens and our societies. Democracy is not only of the people, by the people, for the people but also with the people, within the people,” Modi said quoting from the famous speech of the US president Abraham Lincoln in 1863.
The Prime Minister called for cooperation within democracies to learn from each other.
“Different parts of the world have followed different paths of democratic development. There is much we can learn from each other. We all need to constantly improve our democratic practices and systems.
“And, we all need to continuously enhance inclusion, transparency, human dignity, responsive grievance redressal and decentralization of power,” said Modi.
The Prime Minister said in this context, the summit provides “a timely platform for furthering cooperation among democracies.”
“India would be happy to share its expertise in holding free and fair elections, and in enhancing transparency in all areas of governance through innovative digital solutions. We must also jointly shape global norms for emerging technologies like social media and crypto-currencies, so that they are used to empower democracy, not to undermine it,” he said.
“By working together, democracies can meet the aspirations of our citizens and celebrate the democratic spirit of humanity. India stands ready to join fellow democracies in this noble endeavor,” Modi said.
Earlier, during the closed session of the summit, the Prime Minister said the democratic spirit, including respect for rule of law and pluralistic ethos, is ingrained in Indians. The Indian Diaspora carries it too, thereby contributing to the economic well-being and social harmony of their adopted homes, he said.
He outlined sensitivity, accountability, participation, and reform orientation as the 4 pillars of Indian democratic governance.
Through the democracy summit president Biden has made a case that the US and ‘like-minded allies’ need to show the world that democracies are a far better vehicle for societies than autocracies.
