PM Modi at BRICS: India champions climate justice, UN reform, and AI governance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the session on ‘Environment, COP30, and Global Health’ at the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro today, said for India, climate change and environmental protection have always been subjects of the topmost priority, a part of our ancient culture. He said climate change is not merely an issue of energy; it is about maintaining a balance between life and nature.

"India is driven by the spirit of People, Planet and Progress. India has launched numerous initiatives like: Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment). Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (tree for Mother). International Solar Alliance. Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. Green Hydrogen Mission. Global Biofuels Alliance. International Big Cats Alliance."

The Prime Minister said despite being the world’s fastest-growing major economy, India was the first country to achieve its Paris commitments ahead of schedule. "For India, Climate Justice is not an option; it is a moral duty. India believes that without technology transfer and affordable financing for countries in need, climate action will remain confined merely to climate talks."

He said the health of our people and planet is interconnected. The COVID-19 pandemic taught us that viruses do not arrive with visas, nor are solutions chosen based on passports! Hence, we have to strengthen our shared efforts to make our planet healthier. "India is proud to have rolled out Ayushman Bharat, the largest health coverage scheme of its kind. We’ve leveraged the power of technology to make our health systems more effective. We also have vibrant traditional systems of medicine that further wellness."

The Prime Minister earlier participated in the 17th BRICS Summit being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 6-7 July 2025. The leaders held discussions on various issues on the BRICS agenda, including reform of global governance, enhancing the voice of the Global South, peace and security, strengthening multilateralism, development issues, and Artificial Intelligence. The PM also addressed the inaugural session on "Reform of Global Governance and Peace and Security” and "Strengthening Multilateral, Economic-Financial Affairs and Artificial Intelligence".

The PM reaffirmed India’s commitment to enhancing the voice of the Global South, noting that developing countries required greater support for sustainable development, in terms of access to climate finance and technology. Highlighting that the global organisations of the 20th century could not deal with the challenges of the 21st century, he underscored the need for reforming them. Calling for a multipolar and inclusive world order, the PM said global governance institutions such as the UN Security Council, IMF, World Bank, and WTO must undergo urgent reform to reflect contemporary realities.

Calling for strong global action against terrorism, the Prime Minister said those funding, promoting, or providing safe havens to terrorists must be dealt with in the harshest terms. He emphasized that there should be no double standards in dealing with terrorism.

Addressing the session on strengthening multilateralism, economic-financial affairs, and AI, the PM said diversity and multipolarity were valued strengths of the BRICS. He stated that at a time when the world order was under pressure and the global community facing uncertainty and challenges, the relevance of BRICS was evident.

In this regard, he offered four suggestions: one, the BRICS New Development Bank must follow demand-driven principles and long-term sustainability for granting projects; two, the group should consider setting up a Science and Research repository which could benefit the Global South countries; three, focus must be given to making the supply chain of critical minerals secured and resilient; and, four, the group should work for responsible AI - while looking into the concerns of AI governance, it should also give equal importance to promoting innovation in the field.