G20: PM Modi mentions Ukraine War, calls for overcoming trust deficit

New Delhi, Sep 9 Asserting that the Ukraine War has deepened the trust deficit in the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India calls upon the entire world to first convert this global trust deficit into one trust and one confidence.
The PM also said that when the world can defeat Covid, it can also overcome the Ukraine crisis of mutual trust.
“After Covid-19, a huge crisis of lack of trust has come in the world. The war has deepened this trust deficit. When we can defeat Covid, we can also overcome this crisis of mutual trust. Today, as the President of G-20, India calls upon the entire world to first convert this Global Trust Deficit into one trust and one confidence. It is time for all of us to move together,” he said in his opening remarks at the G20 Summit here.
Therefore, PM Modi said the mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas” can become a guiding light for the G20.
“Be it turmoil in the global economy, the divide between North and South, or the distance between East and West, Be it management of food, fuel, and fertiliser; terrorism and cyber security; or health, energy, and water security, we have to move towards concrete solutions to these challenges for the present as well as future generations,” he added.
India’s G-20 Presidency has become a symbol of inclusion of “sabka saath” within and outside the country, Modi said.
“In India, it became the People’s G-20. Crores of Indians joined it. In more than 60 cities across the country. More than 200 meetings were held,” he said.
PM Modi said in the spirit of Sabka Saath, India had proposed that the African Union be given permanent membership of the G-20.
“I believe that we all agree on this proposal. With the consent of all of you, we move ahead. Before we begin the proceedings, I invite the Chair of the African Union to take his seat as a permanent member of the G-20,” he said.
The PM also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the people affected by an earthquake in Morocco and prayed for the injured to get well soon.
He said the entire world community is with Morocco in this difficult time and is ready to provide them with all possible assistance.
“Before we begin the formal proceedings, on behalf of all of us, I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the people affected by the earthquake that struck Morocco a short time ago.
“We pray that all the injured people get well soon. The entire world community is with Morocco in this difficult time, and we are ready to provide them with all possible assistance,” he said.
Extending a warm welcome, PM Modi urged the G20 delegates to start the G20 Summit by remembering the two and a half thousand-year-old message written in Prakrit on the pillar a few kilometres away from Bharat Mandapam.
The message reads, “Hevam lokasa hitmukhe ti, ath iyam natisu hevam”, or the welfare and happiness of humanity should always be ensured.”
“Two and a half thousand years ago, the land of India gave this message to the entire world. Let us start this G-20 Summit by remembering this message. This time of the twenty-first century is an important time that is giving a new direction to the whole world,” he said.
“This is the time when age-old challenges are demanding new solutions from us. And therefore, we have to move forward by fulfilling all our responsibilities with a Human Centric approach,” the Prime Minister added.