Kiren Rijiju calls on Serbian President, delivers India's statement at NAM conference

Belgrade, Sep 1 (AHN) Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday called on Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia and reaffirmed the strong friendship and growing partnership between India and Serbia.

“Called on H.E. Aleksandar Vucic, President of the Republic of Serbia, in Belgrade. Had a warm and meaningful interaction, reaffirming the strong friendship and growing partnership between India and Serbia, rooted in mutual respect & shared interests,” Rijiju stated on X.

He also delivered India’s statement for the High-Level Commemorative Meeting to mark the 65th Anniversary of the First Conference of Heads of State or Government (HoS/HoG) of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

“Sixty-five years ago, the founding Conference of Non-Aligned Countries first met and gave institutional shape to an idea that was revolutionary for the time-that newly independent nations need not be drawn into geopolitical rivalries. India was proud to stand as one of the five founders of our Movement. However, six and a half decades later, the world bears little resemblance to the bipolar order against which NAM defined itself. What has replaced it is not a simpler world, but one facing unprecedented challenges. This is a world today facing challenges of climate change, debt sustainability, resilient supply chains, technological divide, trade and tariff,” said Rijiju in his statement.

He also noted that India has constantly been part of solutions, not of disruptions, and India is guided by the belief in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: the world is a family.

“Our focus has been to work for a secure, peaceful and equitable world. India has always been committed towards addressing the needs and aspirations of fellow developing countries and has been constructively championing the cause of holistic human-centric development of countries of the Global South,” he emphasised.

He mentioned that during its G20 Presidency, India ensured the entry of the African Union as a formal member, and India’s development partnership spans more than 100 member states across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.

“When major conflicts occurred, India has also enhanced global awareness about their implications for food, fuel and fertiliser security. As natural disasters struck, we were very often the first responder. During the COVID-19 pandemic, India supplied medicines and vaccines to more than 150 countries. Our prompt mobilisation, disaster response teams and emergency supplies have made a difference to the lives of many,” stated the Minister.

He noted that India believes that AI and emerging technologies are human-centric and a force for global good, and they must be anchored in inclusivity, ensuring that the benefits reach the Global South.

“It is in this spirit that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi outlined the M.A.N.A.V. vision for AI, which is an acronym for Moral and Ethical Systems, Accountable Governance, National Sovereignty, Accessible and Inclusive, and Valid and Legitimate,” he highlighted.

He said that NAM today needs to work towards finding effective solutions that encourage collaboration, share voice for reformed multilateralism, including the UN Security Council and the International Financial Institutions, to reflect contemporary realities that are fit for the future.

He emphasised that “India remains committed to the principles and values of NAM and will continue to actively engage with partners to revitalise our Movement.”

–AHN

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