NEW DELHI: Underlining the significance of cooperation among democracies, PM Narendra Modi offered to share India’s expertise in holding free and fair elections, and in enhancing transparency in all areas of governance through innovative digital solutions.
Delivering India’s “national statement” at the US Summit for Democracy on Friday, Modi called for efforts to jointly shape global norms for emerging technologies like social media and crypto currencies, so that “they are used to empower democracy, not to undermine it”. He also recalled India’s traditions of participative decision-making and said it provides an example that democracy can, does and will deliver. Modi had on Thursday called on technology firms to contribute to efforts for preserving open and democratic societies.
The PM said he was proud to represent the world’s largest democracy at the summit and that the democratic spirit was integral to India’s civilisational ethos. This spirit, he said, led to an unparalleled story in democratic nation-building over the last 75 years.
Talking about what he described as India’s story of unprecedented socio-economic inclusion in all spheres, including constant improvements in health, education, and human well-being at an unimaginable scale, Modi said India had one clear message to the world: “That democracy can deliver, that democracy has delivered, and that democracy will continue to deliver.” By implication, and through remarks of various leaders, the summit was clearly intended, among other things, to present a counter-poise to China which is facing a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games from US and some other western countries.
“The structural features like multi-party polls, independent judiciary, and free media are important instruments of democracy. However, the basic strength of democracy is the spirit and ethos that lie within our citizens and our societies. Democracy is not only of the people, by the people, for the people but also with the people, within people,” said Modi.
The PM said different parts of the world had followed different paths of democratic development and there was much to learn from each other. “We all need to improve our democratic practices and systems. We need to enhance inclusion, transparency, human dignity and responsive grievance redressal,” Modi said.
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