Chicago March 17, 2025
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed strong criticism of the United Nations and other international organizations, labeling them as “almost irrelevant” in addressing global conflicts. In a recent podcast interview with American scientist Lex Fridman, Modi emphasized the need for reform within these organizations, citing their inability to effectively address rising tensions in the Middle East and between China and the US.
Modi reflected on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the vulnerabilities of nations and the importance of global unity in the face of conflict. He advocated for a shift from conflict to cooperation, promoting a development-driven approach as the way forward.
The Prime Minister stressed that expansionism will not succeed in an interconnected and interdependent world, emphasizing the need for nations to support one another. “The world is interdependent, interconnected…Everyone needs everyone, no one can do anything alone,” Modi said.
This is not the first time Modi has called for reform within the UN. Last year, he addressed the UN’s ‘Summit of the Future’, emphasizing that reform is essential to relevance and that global action “must match” global ambition.