India G7's natural ally in defending democratic values: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India is a natural ally of the G7 (Group of Seven) in defending democratic values from the threats of authoritarianism, terrorism, disinformation, and economic coercion. On the second day of the G7 Summit, Modi addressed two sessions: 'Building Back Together: Open Societies and Economies' and 'Building Back Greener: Climate and Nature'. Here are more details.
Cyberspace should uphold, not subvert, democratic values: Modi
In the first session, Modi said open societies are particularly vulnerable to disinformation and cyber-attacks, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. He stressed the need to ensure that democratic values were upheld, not subverted, in the cyberspace. He called to reform the multilateral system as the best signal of commitment to the cause of open societies, the MEA said.
Other leaders appreciated Modi's views: MEA
MEA Additional Secretary (Economic Relations) P Harish later told reporters that Modi's views were appreciated by other leaders Hindustan Times reported. The other leaders emphasized their commitment to a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, he said.
Modi calls for global efforts toward climate change
During the climate change session, Modi called for a global effort to protect Earth's atmosphere, biodiversity, and oceans. He spoke about the Indian Railways' goal to achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2030 along with the "increasing effectiveness" of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the International Solar Alliance. India is the only G-20 country on track to meet its Paris commitments, he said.
'Developing countries need better access to climate finance'
Developing countries need better access to climate finance, Modi further said, adding that the world required a holistic approach to climate change, encompassing its mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer, climate financing, equity, climate justice, and lifestyle change. Modi also asked the G7 states to meet their "unfulfilled promise of $100 billion annually in climate finance," according to HT.
Yesterday, Modi called for united effort against COVID-19
On Saturday, Modi addressed an outreach session on health, which focused on global recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. He asked the G7 states to adopt a united approach against COVID-19 with the mantra of 'One Earth, One Health'. Modi called for global unity, leadership, and solidarity to prevent future pandemics, stressing the "special responsibility of democratic and transparent societies."
UK invited India to attend this year's summit
The G7 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The UK has taken the presidency of the G7 in 2021 and had invited India, Australia, South Africa, and South Korea to the summit. The theme of this year's summit was "build back better" with the aim to identify recovery measures in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
