NDTV World Summit: Modi says trade, tech and sea routes weaponised
By Rohan SalujaGeopolitics Editor, Peepals Global
Representative image: WikiImages / Pixabay
At the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi on October 22, 2026, PM Modi said trade, technology and sea routes are being weaponised and called for reform of global institutions.
What Happened
Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the NDTV World Summit 2026 in New Delhi on October 22 that trade, technology and sea routes are increasingly being used as weapons in a time of rising geopolitical tension, and called for reform of international institutions so that they reflect today's world. Speaking at the two-day summit, held under the theme "A World Between Orders", Modi said bodies including the United Nations were struggling to keep pace with new global realities and argued that the Global South, the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, needs a stronger voice.
Key Facts
- Event: NDTV World Summit 2026, New Delhi, October 22 to 23, theme "A World Between Orders".
- Modi gave the keynote address on October 22.
- He warned that trade, technology and sea routes are increasingly being weaponised amid rising geopolitical tensions.
- He said international institutions, including the United Nations, are struggling to keep pace with emerging realities, and called for their reform.
- He invoked the ancient Indian idea of Matsya Nyaya, the rule of the big fish eating the small, to argue for safeguards against the unchecked use of power.
- He said international cooperation must hold during severe crises, not only in good times, citing India's supply of COVID-19 vaccines and medicines to more than 100 countries.
- He said India is moving from being the world's "back office" to its "brain office", and pointed to domestic manufacturing of pharmaceutical raw materials as an example of reducing dependence on imports.
Why It Matters
The speech came at a tense moment for the world economy and for India. Conflict involving Iran has pushed Brent crude to its highest level since 2022, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been disrupted, and fresh US tariffs are among the risks the Reserve Bank of India has flagged. Modi's warning about trade, technology and sea routes being "weaponised" speaks to pressures of this kind, where economic links become tools of pressure between countries.
His call for reform of global institutions rested on the argument that the existing order is changing and that its institutions are not keeping up. The reference to Matsya Nyaya, an idea found in ancient Indian political thought, was used to make the case that a rules-based system must protect weaker countries from stronger ones.
The emphasis on self-reliance in sectors such as pharmaceuticals links foreign policy with economic policy. If supply chains can be cut off for political reasons, producing key inputs at home becomes a matter of national security as well as industry.
For India's partners, the message is that New Delhi will push for a stronger voice for developing countries in bodies such as the UN.
| Theme in the speech | What Modi said |
|---|---|
| Weaponisation | Trade, technology and sea routes are being used as weapons |
| Institutions | The UN and others are struggling to keep pace |
| Power | Safeguards needed against unchecked power (Matsya Nyaya) |
| Cooperation | Must hold in crises; India supplied vaccines to 100+ countries |
| India's role | From "back office" to "brain office" |
Impact
Short-term: The speech sets the tone for India's diplomacy in a busy season, with negotiations on a trade deal with the United States near completion and major summits approaching. It signals that India will keep stressing supply-chain security and reform in its talks.
Long-term: If more countries share India's concern about weaponised trade and technology, there may be greater support for diversified supply chains and for changes to how global institutions are run. Any change to how the UN is run would need agreement among its members.
Who is affected: India's diplomats and trade negotiators, partner countries in the Global South, international institutions such as the UN, companies that depend on global supply chains, and Indian manufacturers in sectors targeted for self-reliance.
Key Takeaway
At the NDTV World Summit on October 22, 2026, Modi said trade, technology and sea routes are being weaponised and called for reformed global institutions with a stronger voice for the Global South.
Questions and Answers
What did PM Modi say at the NDTV World Summit 2026?
In his keynote on October 22, 2026, Modi warned that trade, technology and sea routes are being weaponised, said institutions such as the UN are struggling to keep pace with new realities, and called for reform and a bigger voice for the Global South.
What is the theme of the NDTV World Summit 2026?
The summit, held in New Delhi on October 22 and 23, 2026, had the theme "A World Between Orders".
What is Matsya Nyaya, which Modi mentioned?
It is an idea from ancient Indian political thought describing a state of affairs in which the strong devour the weak, like big fish eating small fish. Modi used it to argue for safeguards against the unchecked use of power.
What example did Modi give of international cooperation?
He cited India's supply of COVID-19 vaccines and medicines to more than 100 countries during the pandemic.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Rohan Saluja, Geopolitics EditorCovers Geopolitics and more for Peepals Global. All stories by Rohan Saluja
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