Shashi Tharoor said India must demand constructive changes in global governance. (FILE)
New Delhi:
Stressing that India has been more of a “rule-maker” than a “decision-maker” at the UN, top congressional leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday said the country needed to sort out its internal problems, including that of the economy, and have “moral authority.” if he wants to be a contributor to the rules of the world.
The former Union Minister said he had always maintained that India’s international credibility was often a reflection of its national postures and that success at home was the best guarantee that “we will be respected and effective in abroad “.
“Now we have unfortunately gone through some very bad years nationally in terms of crumbling social cohesion, the eruption and uncontrollable spread of the coronavirus pandemic, border issues with China, economic collapse after demonetization, the worst unemployment figures recorded in history in those years, everything is bad, ”he told a session of the 7th national forum of the India Public Affairs Forum.
Mr. Tharoor said India must use its ability to demand constructive changes in global governance.
“India has to be what it was trying to be for the past five or so years or so, which was kind of an example for the developing world – the world‘s leading development power,” the former deputy said. -Secretary General of the United Nations.
Mr Tharoor hopes India will help with initiatives to catalyze a new consensus for the world.
“But before that, we really need to sort out our internal situation first so that we can face the world with greater credibility and with a renewed admiration that we used to enjoy until very recently,” he said. he declares.
Asked about the reforms at the UN and whether they were linked to monetary contributions from member states, Tharoor said: “I don’t think the checkbook alone is important.”
India is a state which has contributed generously and has been a major donor to the UN Democracy Fund, to initiatives on ideas, decolonization, racism, apartheid, and has also contributed in nature through peacekeeping, Tharoor said.
“India is nothing to be ashamed of, we have been at the forefront of international efforts at the UN to do a lot of good work and contribute leadership. Yet we have been more of one.” rule-maker “” “than a” rule-maker “and these rules were made by the big powerful countries and we were not counted among them,” he said.
“This is why we need both economic growth and prosperity on the one hand, which has fallen into the tubes in recent years, and we also need moral authority if we are to be a contributor. to the rules, ”Tharoor said.
This moral authority comes from successfully dealing with our own challenges, including the great challenges of religious, ethnic and linguistic diversity in India which the country has handled very well until recently, he said.
It also means dealing with some of the contradictions in the neighborhood and being magnanimous towards neighbors rather than hostile towards them, Tharoor said, saying India has recently slipped on this point.
Mr. Tharoor said it was important for India to present itself to the rest of the world as an example of a prosperous and harmonious society.
“If we can act together and lead our country in the direction we traditionally aspire to – which has been hailed as a success in the past, we will again be in a position to lead by example, both in terms of Security Council or off, ”he said.
If India does this and prosper economically as well, people in other countries will say that they cannot imagine a Security Council without India “rather than we demand it as we are doing now,” Mr. Tharoor.
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