"US President’s Language": Congress On PM Modi’s Remarks On International Orgs
The Congress party has sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comments on international organisations, accusing him of echoing former US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh denounced Modi’s remarks, stating that he was undermining institutions that have benefited India while aligning with Trump’s disdain for multilateralism.
Ramesh remarked, “Mr Modi is going out of his way to keep Mr Trump in good humour. He says international organisations, from which India has benefitted immensely, have become irrelevant. This is the US President’s language. In fact, it is Mr Trump who is doing his best to make them irrelevant, and now Mr Modi is repeating ‘his good friend’s’ chant.”
The Congress leader questioned whether institutions like the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change had not been beneficial to India. He also pointed out the role of the United Nations in providing opportunities for Indian peacekeepers abroad.
Modi’s Comments on Global Institutions
During his conversation with American scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman, PM Modi criticised the UN and other global bodies, asserting that they had lost relevance due to a lack of reforms. Referring to ongoing global tensions, including conflicts in the Middle East and growing friction between China and the US, Modi remarked that these institutions had failed to maintain order.
“The international organisations that were created have become almost irrelevant. There is no reform in them. Institutions like the UN cannot play their role. People in the world who do not care about laws and rules are doing everything, no one is able to stop them,” Modi stated.
The Prime Minister also reflected on the Covid-19 pandemic, saying that it exposed the vulnerabilities of all nations, demonstrating that no country—no matter how advanced—was prepared to handle such a crisis alone. He criticised the global response, saying that instead of uniting, the world had become more fractured in the aftermath.
Modi further argued that expansionism was no longer viable in an interconnected world and called for a shift towards cooperation. “Everyone needs everyone, no one can do anything alone. And I see that in all the different forums I have to go to, everyone is worried about conflict. We hope to get relief from it very soon,” he added.
Congress’s Attack on Modi’s Self-Glorification
Ramesh also took aim at Modi’s tendency for self-promotion, mocking the Prime Minister’s past statements. “Almost a year ago, he said he was non-biological. Now he says he believes in the 1+1 theory: 1 in Modi and the other 1 is divine. This when the economy is facing grave challenges, our neighbourhood is volatile, and the world order is becoming a world disorder.”
He urged Modi to focus on governance instead of personal glorification, stating, “Let us have Minimum Self-glorification, Maximum Governance.”
Ramesh also took a dig at Modi’s reluctance to engage with the press, criticising his decision to appear on a podcast aligned with the right-wing ecosystem while avoiding mainstream media scrutiny. “He who is afraid of facing the media in a press conference has found comfort in a foreign podcaster anchored in the right-wing ecosystem. And he has the gall to say that ‘criticism is the soul of democracy’ when he has systematically gutted every institution that is meant to hold his government accountable,” he said.
India’s Push for UNSC Reform
India has long sought a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), arguing that the 15-member body does not reflect contemporary geopolitical realities. The country last held a non-permanent seat in 2021-22 but has continued to push for full membership.
Currently, the UNSC consists of five permanent members—Russia, the UK, China, France, and the United States—who hold veto power, alongside ten rotating non-permanent members. While the US, UK, and France have backed India’s bid for permanent membership, reform efforts have remained stalled.
Last year, Modi addressed the UN General Assembly, calling for reforms to maintain the organisation’s relevance. “Global action must match global ambition,” he asserted.
Trump’s Anti-Multilateral Stance and Modi’s Parallels
The Congress’s criticism of Modi draws parallels with Trump’s foreign policy, which saw the US withdraw from several international organisations. Since returning to the White House in 2025, Trump has doubled down on his anti-multilateral stance, pulling the US out of the WHO, the UN Human Rights Council, and cutting funding to the UN’s Palestinian relief agency.
Trump’s actions have drawn both support and criticism. While his administration argues that these organisations no longer serve American interests, critics warn that these withdrawals weaken global efforts in health, human rights, and economic development.
Despite his threats to leave the WTO, Trump has yet to make a formal exit, leading analysts to speculate that he is using the possibility as a bargaining tool to reshape global trade rules in the US’s favour.
