Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday took a swipe at Western nations, stating that the days of a few nations setting the agenda for the world were over as more and more countries were asserting their role in global geopolitics.
New World Order in the Making
"The days when a few nations set the agenda and expected others to fall in line are over," he said in his address at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The Indian EAM added that the emergence of a new world order was on the horizon.
"A fair, equitable and democratic order will surely emerge once we all put our minds to it. And for a start, that means ensuring that rule-makers do not subjugate rule-takers," Jaishankar asserted.
UN Should Take Inspiration From India's 'African Union' Initiative
India's top diplomat also gave the example of the African Union's inclusion in the G20 under New Delhi's presidency to urge the UN to expand the UNSC.
"It was also noteworthy that at India's initiative, the African Union as a permanent member of the G20. By doing so, we gave voice to an entire continent which has long been its due. This significant step in reform should inspire the United Nations, a much older organization, to also make the Security Council contemporary," Jaishankar stressed.
Warning Against Food and Energy Abuse
Subsequently, he warned against the abuse of food and energy for the advantage of the rich, in what could be an indirect reference to the US and the industrialized West European nations.
Besides the minister drew attention to the need to drive change, and champion fairness and multilateralism before reiterating his call to expand the membership of the UN Security Council.