Climate justice a moral duty, not an option: PM Modi at Brics Summit; emphasises planetary-health link | India News
PM Modi at Brics Summit
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that during India’s presidency, Brics would be redefined as ‘Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability’.Speaking at the environment and global health session, PM Modi emphasised the interconnection between planetary and human health, stating: “For India, climate justice is no alternative; it is a moral duty,” and added: “Where some people measure it in numbers, India lives it in values.”The prime minister outlined potential focus areas for India’s Brics leadership, stressing preparedness for unexpected situations. He noted that COVID-19 demonstrated how viruses disregard borders, and solutions shouldn’t be limited by nationality.PM Modi advocated for developing nations to possess equivalent future-oriented confidence as developed countries. The two-day annual summit in the Brazilian coastal city addressed various global challenges, although Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Egypt’s Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi were absent.Brics represents a significant economic bloc, comprising 11 major emerging economies that account for 49.5 per cent of global population, 40 per cent of global GDP, and 26 per cent of global trade.The organisation, which initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to welcome Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, with Indonesia joining in 2025.PM Modi committed to maintaining close cooperation across all areas during India’s chairmanship, promising to prioritise developing world concerns, similar to India’s G20 presidency approach.The July 6-7, 2025 summit in Rio de Janeiro featured discussions on global governance reform, enhancing Global South representation, peace and security, multilateralism strengthening, development matters, and Artificial Intelligence. The event included the traditional family photograph, symbolising unity amongst participating nations.
