China,Sep.01,2025:On the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, we can unanimously call for UN reform. Keeping the aspirations of the Global South imprisoned in outdated frameworks is a grave injustice to future generations
SCO Summit 2025 in Tianjin
The 25th SCO Summit, held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1, 2025, brought together key Eurasian leaders—including PM Modi, President Xi Jinping, and President Vladimir Putin—in a high-stakes multilateral setting.
China used the gathering to launch an ambitious agenda: a new SCO development bank backed by $1.4 billion in loans over three years—an overt bid to expand the grouping’s reach beyond security into economic architecture.
Against this backdrop of shifting allegiances and rising multipolar narratives, Modi positioned India’s voice with clarity and conviction.
What Modi Said—And Why It Matters
UN reform call came early in Modi’s address:
“On the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, we can unanimously call for UN reform. Keeping the aspirations of the Global South imprisoned in outdated frameworks is a grave injustice to future generations. We cannot show the multicolour dreams of the new generation on the old black-and-white screen—the screen must be changed.”
This powerful metaphor underlined India’s central message: global institutions, especially the UN, no longer reflect today’s realities and must be reformed to deliver justice, equity, and representation—especially for the Global South.
Security, Connectivity, Opportunity, India’s SCO Vision
Modi framed India’s approach to SCO around three strategic pillars:
- Security: SCO must stand firm against terrorism, separatism, and casteism—India’s long-standing priority.
- Connectivity: Essential not just for trade but trust-building; projects like Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor exemplify this.
- Opportunity: Emphasized through reforms, youth empowerment, innovation, a proposed SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum—to bring people, not just governments, into cooperation.
He also invoked India’s “Reform, Perform, Transform” mantra, demonstrating how domestic ambition aligns with global visions.
Targeting Terror Financing & Double Standards
Modi didn’t mince words:
- Condemned terrorism in all its forms and denounced double standards, a veiled critique of Pakistan
- Refused to let terrorism be weaponised politically after the Pahalgam massacre, urging collective condemnation from SCO members.
Diplomatic Optics-Modi Meets Xi and Putin
The summit witnessed staged displays of unity. Modi and Putin greeted each other warmly, while his meetings with Xi Jinping signalled thawing India–China ties after years of tension.
These optics reinforced Modi’s UN reform appeal as not isolationist but rooted in multilateralism and regional balance.
Implications for Global Governance
What does India’s UN reform call signal?
- A push for global institutions to become more inclusive and reflective of twenty-first-century demographics and powers.
- Readiness to challenge the status quo, while maintaining commitment to multilateral frameworks—a nuanced approach between reform and order.
Global South, Reform & Inclusivity
Modi’s statement was not just rhetoric—it echoed a broader Global South sentiment: that international institutions have historically marginalized emerging economies.
By aligning UN reform with SCO’s broader agenda, Modi reinforced that regional frameworks can spur global change.
Can UN Reform Be Delivered?
Achieving UN reform is far from simple:
- UN Security Council reform has long been blocked due to vested interests among permanent members—veto power remains sacred.
- Without collective backing from BRICS, G20, and SCO, the UN reform momentum may falter.
Nevertheless, Modi’s stance opens new dialogues. If the Global South unites on this platform, incremental but meaningful change may follow.
Facing a Changing Global Order
UN reform call may have been one line in a packed SCO address, but its implications resound loudly. Coupled with India’s narrative of reform, connectivity, and regional cooperation, Modi painted a picture of India as a catalyst for global change—not a passive beneficiary.
In an era where multipolarity and shifting geopolitical alliances are the norm, India’s voice may hold the key to redefining global governance.
