India has joined hands with the European Union, Canada, Australia and several other nations to co-sponsor a landmark joint declaration that affirms an unwavering commitment to multilateralism, international law, peace and prosperity, as reported by Times of India.

This strategic coalition comes at a crucial juncture as member nations voice deep concern over escalating regional conflicts, severe disruptions to global trade, raw power politics, rising economic protectionism and coercive diplomatic tactics.

The declaration follows the official launch of a major new international initiative titled Partners for Multilateralism (P4M). Unveiled on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the P4M platform aims to transform multilateral institutions to make them far more representative, effective, legitimate and trusted through active middle-power cooperation, particularly in an era marked by growing geopolitical fragmentation and frequent violations of established international law.

Highlighting the dangers posed by modern geopolitical tensions, active warfare and extreme interstate competition, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised that multilateralism can only flourish when international law, rules and norms are scrupulously observed by all countries without exception.

The co-sponsors of this historic declaration also include prominent nations such as Brazil, Barbados and Kenya. This composition turns the P4M into a uniquely diverse grouping that bridges the traditional divide between the Western world and the Global South, setting it apart from existing blocs like the G7 or BRICS.

Following the initial backing by its co-sponsors, sixteen other nations signed off on the declaration. The document explicitly flagged the increasing weaponisation of economic interdependence as a tool of leverage, which continues to disrupt international trade, global supply chains, cross-border investments and critical development finance. Observers view these messages as a subtle yet clear critique directed at both the US and China.

The declaration urgently calls for structural reforms within multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, to safeguard rule of law, promote equitable trading environments and prevent international disputes.

Furthermore, it advocates for an open, resilient, predictable and inclusive framework for global economic cooperation, supported by well-diversified supply chains.

It was noted in the declaration that the multilateral architecture built upon the core foundation of the UN Charter remains entirely indispensable. Over the decades, this system has provided a critical framework for maintaining world peace, advancing decolonisation, fostering economic growth and upholding human dignity across continents.

However, the declaration candidly acknowledges that this legacy structure must now adapt to a contemporary world that is vastly more interconnected, complex, contested and multipolar. The current global landscape demands responsive institutions capable of managing non-traditional threats that spill across sovereign borders.

The participating nations solemnly affirmed the necessity to uphold and strictly enforce the fundamental rules, principles and commitments essential to maintaining international order. Simultaneously, they pledged to renew and reform the broader multilateral framework to ensure it becomes genuinely inclusive and fit for purpose in the modern era.

In their joint statement, the member states re-emphasised their collective allegiance to the principle of sovereign equality, the preservation of territorial integrity, the peaceful resolution of international disputes, and an absolute prohibition against the threat or use of force in diplomatic relations.

The inaugural meeting of this platform was co-hosted by European Council President Antonio Costa. 

He stated that the P4M initiative will serve as a dynamic global network for continuous dialogue, coalition-building and practical bilateral as well as multilateral cooperation, helping nations coordinate responses to shared global challenges with the United Nations remaining at the center.

Underlining the paramount need for multilateralism to assert itself forcefully during these turbulent times, S Jaishankar also brought the crucial issue of global terrorism to the forefront. He stressed that international security and stability depend heavily on an uncompromising, collective approach to eliminate state-sponsored and transnational terror networks.

The External Affairs Minister added that the future of world peace, climate action, climate justice, emerging technologies, development finance, disaster resilience, supply chain defence and pandemic readiness all rest entirely on a genuine, shared global will to cooperate across borders.

Agencies