KEY POINTS
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said new challenges were now emerging from West Asia
- He asserted the role of the Global South in light of the ongoing war in the Middle East
- The remarks were made during Friday’s virtual inaugural session of the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the killing of civilians in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, while addressing the inaugural session of the second Voice of Global South Summit.
Modi also asserted the need for the Global South to “unite for the greater global good” in light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“We all are seeing that new challenges are emerging from the events in the West Asia region. India has condemned the terrorist attack in Israel on Oct. 7,” the Indian leader said Friday during the virtual inaugural session. “We have exercised restraint as well. We have given emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy. We also strongly condemn the deaths of civilians in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.”
“After talking to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, we have also sent humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine. This is the time when the countries of the Global South should unite for the greater global good,” he added.
Immediately after Hamas launched a terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, Modi expressed solidarity with the Israelis and also spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the situation.
India, which has been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause for decades and has a long-standing support for the two-state solution, also sent humanitarian aid to Palestine amid the ongoing war.
Since Israel began its complete siege on Gaza, more than 11,500 people have been killed, as Netanyahu continues to refuse calls for a ceasefire unless the hostages are released.
Modi, who hosted the first Voice of Global South Summit in January this year, has been reinforcing India’s position as the emerging voice for the Global South.
Contrary to the way it sounds, the Global South does not refer to countries from the same geographical region. There isn’t widespread uniformity among the nations, but common issues include inequality, food and energy insecurity, poverty and limited access to resources.
“We are more than 100 countries but our priorities are similar,” Modi said at the Friday summit.
“Voice of the Global South is one of the most unique platforms of the 21st century. From a geographical perspective, the global south has always existed, but it has received the voice of its own for the first time,” he added.
