SUBRAHMANYAM JAISHANKAR, Minister for External Affairs of India, citing global challenges that have led to a fractious, polarized and frustrated world, asked:  “If the world is in such a state, this body must ask itself:  how has this come to pass?”  “The problems arise from a combination of structural shortcomings, political calculations, naked self-interest and yes, disregard for those left behind,” he said, and thus Member States must seriously and purposefully address the challenges at hand to effect change.  India has sought to respond in many ways, foremost by focusing on the issues of the vulnerable, women, farmers and youth, as well as by fashioning targeted policies and initiatives for their betterment.  Citing assured access to piped water, electricity, cooking gas and new homes, as well as a narrowing gender gap in health, education and the workplace, he noted that a third-term Government has also prioritized skilling its youth.  Further, it is expanding employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, including through stronger training and large-scale financial incentives.  Small businesses have received 495 million Mudra loans in the last decade, with a majority allocated to women.

India is also “creating templates that are replicable elsewhere” through its digital delivery or enhancing the quality of governance and public services, he said.  “A digital public infrastructure and a people’s pharmacy are today examples of what India can readily offer” and “an alternative vision where technology is used to empower, not to dominate”.  To encourage the Global South to voice its shared concerns and come together, his country has convened three Global South Summits, the most recent in August, he said.  Further, India is undertaking projects in 78 nations, providing resources to neighbours, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.  The impact and transformative impact of the digital is evident in the daily lives of Indians who benefit from the efficient and large-scale delivery of public benefits, from nutritional support and housing to energy and health.  Detailing other digital advancements, he said:  “That is India’s experience and India’s relevance.”  “Such leap-frogging possibilities, coupled with people centric policies and visionary leadership, can be real game-changers,” he added.

Noting the unfairness of the current globalization model, which has caused many to get left behind, he stressed:  “There are economic answers, just as there are social ones.”  “The UN has always maintained that peace and development go hand in hand.  Yet, when challenges to one have emerged, due regard has not been given to the other,” he said.  While many countries get left behind due to circumstances beyond their control, some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences, he said, pointing to Pakistan, its neighbour, as a “premier example”.  “A dysfunctional nation coveting the lands of others must be exposed and countered.”  Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism policy will never succeed and can have no expectation of impunity, he stressed, emphasizing that the only solution is for Pakistan to vacate the illegally occupied Indian territory and abandon its “long-standing attachment to terrorism”.  The global order is inherently pluralistic and diverse.  The UN began with 51 members and expanded to 193. “The world has changed profoundly and so have its concerns and opportunities,” he said, emphasizing that the UN must the central platform for finding common ground.  But, “it cannot be, by remaining anachronistic”, he added.