G20 Leadership Summit: Prime Minister Modi calls for end to global trust deficit
Modi Saturday called upon the world community to end the "global trust deficit", saying it was «the time to walk together» as he sought to cast India's presidency of G20 as a stepping stone to the peaceful emergence of a new world order based on mutual trust and universal brotherhood bereft of East-West or North-South divide.
Addressing heads of states in the inaugural session of the two-day G20 Leadership Summit in the national capital, Modi exuded optimism that if nations could beat the pandemic by sticking together, they can very well bridge the surge in trust deficit in the wake of the Ukraine war.
The Prime Minister also called on the President of the African Union to take a seat among the G20 leaders after they endorsed India's proposal to include the bloc as a permanent member of the grouping. India's proposal was in sync with the principle of togetherness, Modi added.
With a miniature Tricolour on his right and the «Bharat» (instead of India) name plank in front of him, the Prime Minister said in Hindi: «Today, Bharat, as the G20 President, calls on the world to first unitedly convert this global trust deficit into confidence and trust.
This is the time to walk together. That's why the sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas and sabka prayas mantra could well be our guide.»
The trust deficit was first created by the pandemic and the Ukraine war deepened it, Modi said, even as New Delhi has tried hard to hammer out a joint communique of the G20 grouping that's already riven with cracks over the Russian invasion.
Invoking the inscription over an ancient pillar a few kilometres from the summit venue, Modi said even 2,500 years earlier, the Indian civilisation gave the world a valuable message: «Let the well-being
