With Trump listening, PM Modi says seafarers must be protected

The world suffers from a shortage of trust, not resources, and mutual trust is the most important strategic asset today, said PM Narendra Modi addressing an outreach session at G7 in France. Seated next to US President Donald Trump in the meeting, he said it’s important that sea lanes are kept safe and seafarers are able to perform their duties without fear, in an apparent reference to the killing of three Indian sailors by US.“It is our responsibility to protect seafarers who connect all countries through maritime trade,” the PM said.Welcoming the progress in Iran-US talks, Modi said, “Due to this conflict, our friendly countries in West Asia have suffered loss of life and property. The entire world economy was damaged, many Indian civilians lost their lives.” Modi also said that lack of respect for international law was the biggest hurdle to building international solidarity, and needed to be addressed.He also stressed international partnerships needed to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy, and must be linked to dignity, not dependency, and added that in an uncertain world, trade and technology were being misused for narrow interests, leading to a trust deficit in the international arena.

And the future of our partnerships depends on rebuilding this trust, said PM Narendra Modi, participating in the session on forging new partnerships and rebuilding international solidarity. He also underlined that, in an interconnected world, where energy, food, health, cyber, and economic security are intertwined, building international partnerships was a necessity for the progress and prosperity of humanity.Modi also called upon the world to move from donor-recipient to partnerships based on solidarity and equality, saying the Global South has immense expectations from the world. “More than support, it seeks partnership. We must move beyond the donor-recipient mindset and work as equal partners. We must walk together and not merely alongside one another.”“India believes that the true test of partnership is not what we build for others, but what we enable others to build for themselves. Our development partnerships reflect the same spirit,” he added.This was the first outreach session that Modi and other invited leaders participated in. Earlier in the day, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed G7 and invited leaders at the summit venue in French resort town of Evian-les-Bains.“Sharing India’s approach to international cooperation, PM said India has always followed the principle of humanity first, and this thought continues to be at the centre of its efforts, be it pursuing action under International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Global Bio-fuel Alliance, Mission LiFE or Ek Ped Maa ke Naam (Plant for Mother) campaign,” said an Indian readout of his speech, adding that this inclusive approach had also led India to be the first responder when natural disasters have struck various parts of the world — be it a cyclone in Sri Lanka, earthquake in Afghanistan, floods in Mozambique or hurricane in Jamaica.

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