00:00It's not just undermining security, but threatening progress and retarding development.
00:07In a globalised world, the effects of war are felt worldwide.
00:15Countries far from conflicts are being penalised for no fault of theirs.
00:22Those most impacted often have the least say.
00:26Secondly, this Assembly must face up through the true state of affairs.
00:34This year, we are witnessing a conflict in the Gulf, one that is exacerbating an already difficult situation.
00:44We remain deeply concerned over continuing hostilities.
00:48The targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers, transiting international waterways, is simply unacceptable.
00:56India calls upon all parties to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, ensure protection of civilians, and uninterrupted flow of energy
01:10and commerce.
01:11Mr. President, the conflict in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, is equally concerning.
01:20As Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, endless war must give way now to an end to war.
01:29India supports ongoing initiatives to bring peace.
01:33Even as this is underway, there is an urgent need to address the security of seafarers and supply of food,
01:43grains, and energy.
01:46India is prepared to do everything possible to ameliorate this situation, especially with regard to food and energy security.
01:59Tensions and violence also regrettably continue in West Asia or the Middle East.
02:06We strongly believe that a durable and lasting peace requires a two-state solution.
02:14In the meanwhile, India is contributing to humanitarian assistance and relief efforts for the Palestinian people.
02:23Mr. President, let us recognize that peace is not just the absence of war.
02:32If the world is subjected to continuous threats and pressures, then we are really living on the edge of an
02:39abyss.
02:40All it takes is one more step to push us over.
02:45Therefore, it is imperative to strengthen stability, security, and predictability.
02:53These are crucial elements of the enabling environment for peace.
02:59If any of them are undermined, peace will inevitably be weakened.
03:07After eight decades of the UN, this should have become a second nature.
03:13Instead, what we are actually seeing is a weaponization of everything.
03:20A mindset of extreme competition has set in, undermining institutions and establishing choke points.
03:29It extends from the world of finance to constricting market access, disrupting supply chains, and withholding technology.
03:39Resources and connectivity have become particularly subject to leverage.
03:46As a result, nations are now more focused on de-risking and diversifying.
03:53Now, while this may secure their interest to varying degrees, the overall atmosphere is no longer that of trust or
04:03goodwill.
04:03Mr. President, the predicament of the global south is particularly acute.
04:11It faces a 4F crisis of the security of food, fuel, fertilizer, and finance.
04:20The combined impact of a super El Nino, compounding fertilizer shortages, and now impediments to grain movements.
04:30All these are cause for alarm.
04:34Moreover, SDG progress is under increasing pressure.
04:39The global south's right to industrialize is also undermined by non-market practices and market denial.
04:48The march of technology that was meant to instill hope has now become a source of anxiety.
04:55Misuse of AI is sharpening bias and diluting mutual respect.
05:03These directions bode ill for the aims and objectives of the United Nations.
05:12A persistent threat to peace has been the scourge of terrorism.
05:17That this could be state-sponsored with cross-border purpose makes it a direct affront to the global order.
05:28Governments indulging in such practices must be held accountable.
05:32There must be no dilution in our zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism.
05:39Its financial aspects, in particular, should be exposed and should be countered.
05:46Mr. President, yesterday, a serial practitioner of terrorism misrepresented facts before this assembly.
05:56Arguments were invoked to normalize terrorism and claim immunity from its consequences.
06:04That will not stand.
06:06Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised.
06:12Mr. President, friendship and goodwill cannot coexist with terrorism.
06:19And understandings premised on that will naturally be called into question.
06:26It is for the perpetrator of terrorism to mend its ways.
06:31Mr. President, given the state of the world, each member of the UN must ask themselves what they can do.
06:41Insofar as India is concerned, its inclusive growth and all-round progress has advanced the prospects of one-sixth of
06:50humanity.
06:50When health, nutrition and education are effectively delivered, when drinking water, electricity, roads and housing are ensured, this veritably lifts
07:03the global SDG outcomes.
07:06But today, India has much more than that to offer.
07:11Our digital public infrastructure is not only ensuring better governance, but is the backbone of delivering socioeconomic benefits.
07:21Rapid growth of infrastructure is visible across all its dimensions.
07:28A continuously improving ease of doing business, ease of living, startup and innovation culture, and focused sectoral missions have all
07:38contributed to our economic story.
07:40Even as India progresses, we are conscious of our global responsibilities.
07:47We know that many of our experiences and achievements are replicable elsewhere.
07:53The deep solidarity of the global south has always encouraged us to share what we have.
08:01Therefore, we respond more actively to the requirements of our partners.
08:08600 major Indian development projects in 78 nations testify to our commitment, a commitment that ranges from infrastructure, manufacturing and
08:19agriculture to IT and to capacity building.
08:23Climate action projects and initiatives have been an important part of these endeavors.
08:31Whether it is clean energy and clean water projects, sustainable agriculture or the dissemination of best practices and technology, our
08:41capabilities and experiences have been reflected abroad.
08:45African nations and small island developing states have been our preferred partners in this journey.
08:53Initiatives like the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure or the Global Biofuel Alliance are all making
09:04steady progress.
09:06Mr. President, the turbulence of our times also demands more from each of us.
09:13India has sent medical shipments to conflict zones, epidemic locations and after natural disasters.
09:22As a first responder, we were there early, be it the Nepal flash floods or the Venezuela earthquake.
09:30Our limb-fitment camps have given a new hope to many across the world.
09:37Whether to meet food and medicine shortages, energy or fertilizer needs, or indeed creating livelihoods, India has contributed continuously and
09:49will do so.
09:50Our capacity building and experience sharing programs have made a real difference across the Global South, especially in Africa.
10:00The same international spirit also inspires our contribution to safeguarding peace.
10:08India has always been at the forefront of UN peacekeeping operations.
10:14Right now, our contingents are present in 9 out of 11 mandates.
10:19Our troops have stood their ground firmly and professionally, even under pressure.
10:27We take pride that an Indian woman combat helicopter pilot was awarded the UN 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the
10:39Year.
10:41Mr. President, new challenges in the maritime domain have added to long-standing ones on land.
10:49There have been attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers in the Gulf and from the Red Sea to the Black
10:56Sea.
10:57Indian seafarers have lost their lives, as indeed have others from other nations.
11:04This is completely unacceptable.
11:08India has joined Liberia and 23 other partners in an initiative to rally global public opinion against such unwarranted targeting.
11:19We must ensure that the safety and security of shipping and seafarers is never compromised.
11:27Scrupulously observing international law is an integral element of that endeavor.
11:35An issue central to current global conversations is that of AI.
11:41India hosted the AI Impact Summit this February, gathering together the best minds on that subject.
11:50We view AI as a transformational driver for human empowerment, economic prosperity and population-scale problem-solving.
12:01We believe in the right of each nation to shape its ecosystem with the development of its own models and
12:11deployment strategies consistent with its national goals and priorities.
12:17AI will be very much part of our partnership agenda with the Global South.
12:24As technology is democratized, this process is greatly facilitated, Mr. President, by an ethos of mutual respect.
12:34Indeed, care and consideration for the interests and viewpoints of others reinforces even the prospects of peace.
12:42And that attitude is best fostered by an appreciation of each other's culture, heritage and traditions.
12:51In a globalized world, we must continuously and vigorously promote international understanding.
12:59Economic rebalancing is well underway.
13:02The political one is also visible.
13:04And the third facet, cultural rebalancing, must now be taken forward.
13:11Mr. President, we are now well on our way towards a multipolar world.
13:17The post-1945 order is giving way to new realities.
13:23This process of adjustment, accommodation and acceptance will not be easy.
13:29Much of the turbulence that we witness today emanates from those very difficulties.
13:36Yet, the march of an intrinsically diverse world towards a more democratic future cannot be halted.
13:45Peace, in a pluralistic order, requires civil conversations.
13:51It requires broad-based consultations.
13:54It requires transparent decision-making.
13:57Large sections of humanity cannot be excluded from that process.
14:03The case for reformed multilateralism only gets stronger day after day.
14:10Mr. President, after a decade of service and dedication to the cause of multilateralism,
14:17we will soon bid farewell to Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
14:22India deeply values his many contributions, in particular, his personal support for mission life.
14:31Mr. President, at the conclusion of this general debate, we hope that all participating delegations leave with a greater commitment
14:42to peace, to development and to prosperity.
14:45This cannot be an imposition or even a negotiation.
14:51It must be a mindset.
14:53It must be an outlook.
14:55It must be a belief.
14:57In the lawns outside this building are recorded the powerful words of Mahatma Gandhi.
15:03And that should serve as an inspiration for these times.
15:07And those words are that there is no way to peace.
15:11Peace is the way.
15:13I thank you.
