In News:

• India, along with G7 countries and four invited countries, signed the G7 joint statement on ‘Resilient Democracies’.
• This statement called for protecting the freedom of expression and opinion, both online and offline.

What’s in Today’s Article:

• 2022 Resilient Democracies Statement – Principles, commitment
• Key takeaways from PM Modi’s Speech at G7

2022 Resilient Democracies Statement

• India, along with other countries at G7 summit, signed the 2022 Resilient Democracies Statement.
• Through this statement, the participating countries expressed their commitment to
  • guard the freedom, independence and diversity of civil society actors and
  • protect the freedom of expression and opinion online and offline.

Principles propounded by the document

• Through this document the signatories resolved:
  • Protecting the freedom of expression and opinion online and offline and ensuring a free and independent media landscape.
  • Ensuring an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable and secure internet.
  • Increasing the cyber resilience of digital infrastructure.
  • Countering hybrid threats, in particular information manipulation and interference, including disinformation.
  • Enhancing transparency about the actions of online platforms to combat violent, extremist and inciting content online.

Commitments expressed by the document

• Guarding the freedom, independence and diversity of civil society actors and respecting freedom of association and peaceful assembly.
• Building resilience against malign foreign interference and acts of transnational repression that seek to undermine trust in government, society and media.
• Advancing programmes for the protection of human rights defenders and all those exposing corruption.
• Protecting freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief and promoting inter-faith dialogue
• Promoting social cohesion, solidarity and the inclusion of all members of society online and offline, while denouncing all forms of discrimination and violence.

Key highlights of PM Modi’s speech at G7 summit

• At the G-7 summit in Germany, PM Modi participated in two sessions on:
  • Investing in a better Future: Climate, Energy, Health and
  • Food security

Session on Investing in a better Future: Climate, Energy, Health

• Invoked the need for the poor to be able to access energy
  • PM Modi invoked the need for the poor to be able to access energy — as much as the rich.
  • He said that today when energy costs are sky-high due to geopolitical tensions, it is more important to remember this thing.
  • PM comments were in sync with India’s position that it is buying oil from Russia to meet its domestic energy demand and control inflation, which affects the poor the most.
• India’s efforts to ensure energy for the poor
  • PM Modi highlighted India’s efforts to ensure energy for the poor.
  • India has delivered LED bulbs and clean cooking gas door-to-door.
  • It has shown the world that millions of tons of carbon emissions can be saved while ensuring energy for the poor.
• Promote green energy technologies
  • PM Modi asked the G-7 countries to invest in research and manufacturing in green energy technologies.
  • The scale that India can provide for every new technology can make that technology affordable for the whole world.
  • He said that they can help India to take innovations in digital technology in the health sector to other developing countries.
• India’s developmental path is environment friendly
  • He said that 17 per cent of the world’s population resides in India. But its contribution to global carbon emissions is only five per cent.
  • The main reason behind this is our lifestyle, which is based on the theory of coexistence with nature

Session on Food Security

• Indirectly referred to Ukraine crisis
  • While addressing a session on food security, PM Modi referred indirectly to the Ukraine crisis.
  • He said that G7 meeting is being held amid the atmosphere of global tension.
  • India has always been in favour of peace. Even in the present situation, India has constantly urged for the path of dialogue and diplomacy.
• Impact of current crisis is not limited to Europe
  • The impact of this geopolitical tension is not just limited to Europe.
  • The rising prices of energy and food grains are affecting all the countries.
  • The energy and security of developing countries is particularly at risk.
  • In this challenging time, India has supplied food grains to many countries in need.
    • India dispatched about 35,000 tonnes of wheat as humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in the last few months.
    • India is also helping Sri Lanka to ensure food security.
• Suggestions provided by PM Modi
  • Ensure availability of fertilizers
    • We must focus on the availability of fertilizers, and keep the value chains of fertilizers smooth at a global scale.
  • Create a system so as to use Indian agricultural talent in G7 countries
    • India has immense agricultural manpower compared to the countries of the G7.
    • Indian agricultural skills have helped give new life to traditional agricultural products like cheese and olive in some of the countries of the G7.
    • Can the G7 create a structured system for the widespread use of Indian agricultural talent in its member countries?
    • With the help of traditional talent of India’s farmers, food security will be ensured to G7 countries.