Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the current global landscape as a “world between orders” during his address at the NDTV World Summit 2026 in New Delhi, pointing out that the limitations of the United Nations and traditional international institutions are increasingly visible in addressing modern geopolitical challenges.
Addressing the summit on Thursday evening, the Prime Minister emphasized that while the UN was founded on the principles of dialogue, cooperation, and peaceful dispute resolution in the wake of the Second World War, shifting global realities, new economic aspirations, and complex crises have outpaced the existing world order.
Call for Global South Representation and Reform
Highlighting the changing dynamics of international governance, PM Modi noted that new powers are emerging and demanding their rightful place in global decision-making.
”The United Nations and other global institutions have had their historical role, but in the face of today’s challenges, their limits are clearly visible,” Modi remarked, calling for stronger global institutions, an amplified voice for the Global South, and robust international cooperation.
Warning Against Weaponisation of Trade and Tech
Expressing concern over escalating global tensions—alluding to conflicts in West Asia and other regions—Modi warned that vital global lifelines, specifically trade, technology, and sea routes, are “being weaponised.”
To illustrate the dangers of an unregulated global order where rules are ignored, the Prime Minister cited the ancient Indian economist Chanakya’s Sanskrit maxim: ‘apranitah tu matsyanyayam udbhavayati’. The phrase refers to Matsya Nyaya (the law of the fish), which translates to a state of anarchy where the strong swallow the weak.
Echoes of UN Gridlock Concerns
Modi’s observations align with recent critiques voiced by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Speaking earlier at the 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave, Jaishankar similarly described the UN Security Council as “gridlocked” and largely irrelevant in resolving major contemporary crises, including conflicts in Ukraine and the Gulf.
