Modi warns global institutions must adapt to rising geopolitical threats

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sounded an alarm over the weaponisation of critical global infrastructure, warning that trade corridors, technological systems and sea routes are being exploited as instruments of geopolitical leverage in an increasingly unstable world order.

Addressing participants at the NDTV World Summit 2026, Modi emphasised the urgency of reinforcing multilateral institutions to respond effectively to contemporary security challenges. His remarks reflected growing concerns about how traditional mechanisms of international cooperation are being tested by rising tensions between major powers and shifting regional dynamics across Asia.

The Prime Minister's intervention underscores India's strategic position in a region where maritime chokepoints, technology dependencies and trade networks intersect with competing great power interests. New Delhi has long advocated for reformed global institutions that better reflect contemporary geopolitical realities and accommodate the interests of developing nations.

Modi's warning comes as several flashpoints in South and Southeast Asia continue to draw international attention, from disputed maritime claims to technology competition and supply chain vulnerabilities exposed during recent global disruptions. The Prime Minister's call for institutional strengthening suggests India sees multilateral reform as essential to managing future conflicts and protecting shared interests.

Photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi (centre) addresses the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, 1 September 2025. Prime Minister's Office, Government of India, via Wikimedia Commons (GODL-India).