Modi’s six-point mantra for a better world

There are numerous global forums where nations gather to devise common strategies and chart pathways for regional and collective progress. Yet many of these platforms become mired in competing interests, eventually reduced to talking shops with little tangible change on the ground. The G20 Summit in Johannesburg, however, stood out as a clear exception. For once, member countries rose unanimously against the high-handedness of developed nations and resisted US pressure, asserting their demand for greater equity in the global economic order. The highlight of the Summit was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s six-point plan which was pragmatic and was hailed by one and all. These six points could bring about a radical change if they are implemented in right earnest. Yet another highlight which made the Summit relevant was the adoption of a climate declaration despite a US boycott and pressure. Prime Minister Modi’s six proposals gave clarity and practicality to Summit’s agenda and alignment with the priorities of the Global South. The first point on the drug-terror nexus underlined the urgent need for coordinated action against crime networks that destabilise economies and societies, especially in the low GDP countries.

His second proposal, the G20 Global Healthcare Response Team borne out of Corona pandemic could be a game changer when health emergency strikes on global scale. By creating a trained, deployable medical corps, the G20 can respond swiftly to future health emergencies — especially in vulnerable regions. This initiative, if realised, can be one of the most practical solutions for mitigating health emergencies.

PM Modi’s push for a G20 Africa-Skills Multiplier Initiative further positioned India as an advocate for African development. Skill-building and workforce transformation are essential for global economic growth. Equally significant was Modi’s call for a Global Traditional Knowledge Repository—a platform that recognises the value of indigenous knowledge in medicine, agriculture, and sustainability. This could create a vast pool of traditional knowledge gathered over thousands of years and put to best use of humanity. The final two proposals — a G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership and the Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative—link technological collaboration with resource security. With global transitions to clean energy accelerating, critical minerals will determine economic power and environmental stability. Modi’s alignment with the Summit’s emphasis on a ‘Critical Minerals Framework’ reflects the shared understanding that producer countries, must benefit more equitably from their resources. The Summit’s biggest achievement was the adoption of the G20 Leaders’ Declaration. The document underscored the need to scale climate finance “from billions to trillions” and acknowledged deep energy-access inequalities, especially in Africa. This commitment resonates with the long-standing demand of developing countries that climate ambition must be matched by climate finance. If carried forward with sincerity, these outcomes can ensure a fairer, greener, and more stable world.