Johannesburg, Nov 23 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday highlighted the necessity for enhanced collaboration among India, South Africa, and Brazil in the battle against terrorism, asserting that double standards have no place in this critical effort.

He suggested establishing a formal meeting at the National Security Advisor (NSA) level for the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) coalition.

During his address at the IBSA Leaders' Meeting in Johannesburg, PM Modi stated, "All three nations concur that global institutions are outdated regarding the realities of the 21st century. None of our countries holds a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, which clearly indicates that global institutions fail to represent the current world. IBSA must collectively convey to the world that reform in institutions is not just optional but essential."

He continued, "As we combat terrorism, we must proceed with close collaboration. There is no room for any double standards on such a grave matter. To secure global peace and prosperity, united action is imperative. The inaugural meeting of the NSAs from our three nations took place in 2021 under India's leadership of IBSA. We can further strengthen security cooperation through institutionalization," he asserted.

PM Modi acknowledged the pivotal role technology plays in promoting human-centered development, emphasizing that IBSA could be instrumental in advancing emerging technologies, particularly in DPI and Artificial Intelligence.

He proposed the creation of an 'IBSA Digital Innovation Alliance', enabling the sharing of digital public infrastructure like UPI, health platforms such as CoWIN, cybersecurity frameworks, and initiatives led by women in technology among the three nations.

"This will expedite the growth of our digital economies and generate scalable solutions for the Global South. Together, we can help establish safe, reliable, and human-centered norms for AI. This initiative could be inaugurated at the upcoming AI Impact Summit in India next year," he added.

Describing IBSA as an "essential platform" connecting three continents, he remarked, "IBSA is not merely a coalition of three countries; it serves as a vital platform linking three continents, three significant democratic nations, and three major economies. It embodies a profound bond characterized by diversity, shared values, and mutual aspirations."

"Today's IBSA Leaders' Meeting is both historic and timely. This inaugural G20 Summit on the African continent marks the conclusion of four consecutive G20 presidencies held by Global South nations. The trio of IBSA countries has alternated holding the G20 presidency over the past three years. Throughout these summits, we have implemented several crucial initiatives addressing shared priorities like human-centered development, multilateral reforms, and sustainable growth. It is now our responsibility to reinforce these initiatives. To facilitate this, I have some proposals regarding our collaboration," he noted.

Currently, South Africa holds the position of IBSA Chair. IBSA represents a distinctive forum that unites India, Brazil, and South Africa, three large democracies and major economies from different continents facing similar challenges, as outlined by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The formation of the grouping was solidified and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the foreign ministers of the three nations convened in Brasilia on June 6, 2023.