India Co-Sponsors Inaugural Partners for Multilateralism Summit at UN

India has joined Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Kenya and the European Union as an initial co-sponsor of the inaugural Partners for Multilateralism (P4M) Summit, held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. The summit, convened on September 21, brought together representatives from different regions to discuss ways to strengthen international cooperation and make the multilateral system more effective. The new initiative aims to provide a platform for countries to work together on common global challenges while supporting the United Nations and the principles of the UN Charter.

The participating countries adopted a declaration reaffirming their commitment to international law, peaceful settlement of disputes and stronger multilateral cooperation. The declaration also called for international institutions to become more effective, representative and inclusive in responding to changing global realities.

Discussions at the summit focused on a range of issues affecting countries across regions, including climate change, sustainable development, global health, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, international finance, trade and supply-chain resilience. The initiative's members also highlighted the importance of cooperation in addressing emerging global challenges that cannot be tackled effectively by individual countries alone.

European Council President António Costa said the Partners for Multilateralism initiative is intended to create a network for dialogue, coalition-building and practical cooperation. He said the platform would complement existing international institutions rather than replace them, while contributing to efforts to strengthen and modernise the multilateral system.

The initiative also supports discussions around reforming international institutions, including the UN80 initiative, which seeks to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the United Nations. The participating countries said stronger and more representative multilateral institutions are important for addressing today's international challenges.

India's participation gives New Delhi another platform to engage with countries from different regions on issues ranging from global governance and development to technology, climate action and international security. The launch of P4M comes during the UN General Assembly's high-level week, when world leaders gather in New York for discussions on major international issues.

The founding partners have also indicated that the initiative will remain open to other countries and partners interested in supporting its objectives. The platform is expected to continue discussions on strengthening multilateral cooperation and developing practical responses to shared global challenges.