London, March 8 India's Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, called for a reformed, future-ready Commonwealth that delivers tangible benefits to its members and emphasizes the needs of the Global South, on Sunday.
Singh is leading the Indian delegation at the 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) in London, which brings together foreign ministers of the 56 member nations around the theme of ‘Commonwealth at a Moment of Strategic Opportunity’.
Singh began the day's engagement with participation in the CFAMM26 Minister's Retreat at Lancaster House, which took place against the backdrop of the joint US-Israel strikes on Iran.
"I called for a reformed, future-ready Commonwealth that delivers tangible benefits to its members, emphasizing the needs of the #GlobalSouth and highlighting cooperation in digital public infrastructure, AI for development, disaster resilience, and economic growth," Singh said in a post on X.
The meeting began with closed-door discussions in the retreat format, with the dialogue expected to focus on the role of the organisation in a “fast-changing international landscape” and explore “impactful and transformative solutions to unlock opportunities in the face of a fractured global climate.”
"Our family of nations gathers here in the UK at a time of great uncertainty and instability; it is so vital for us to be able to come together," said UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in her welcome remarks.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Shirley Botchwey, echoed the sentiment of a shared approach in her address, which opened with a reference to International Women's Day and the organisation's commitment to empowering women and girls.
"The Commonwealth works not as a bloc, but as a bridge – a bridge between regions, a bridge between large states and small, a bridge between advanced and developing economies, a bridge between principles and cultural cooperation," said Botchwey.
"At a time when global corridors are narrowing, there is great scope within our own family to deepen connectivity, to reduce barriers and better integrate small and vulnerable states into value chains.
"At a time when the world feels fragile and multilateralism is under pressure, trust is stretched and too often nations are tempted to turn inward.
"In such a moment, the ties of the Commonwealth matter more than ever, because when the world fractures, connection matters even more," she said.
In a pre-visit statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had highlighted that India is one of the largest contributors to the Commonwealth and has assisted the organisation with technical assistance and capacity building.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 countries and serves a vital platform to deepen India's engagement with Commonwealth members, in particular the Small States and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the MEA said.
During his two-day visit to the UK, Minister Singh is expected to engage with the Commonwealth leadership and counterparts from some of the member states before attending the Commonwealth Day celebrations on Monday – to be led by King Charles III as the head of the organisation.
According to Buckingham Palace, this year in his customary Commonwealth Day message, the 77-year-old British monarch is expected to reflect upon the value of traditional alliances and international friendships at a time of “increasing pressures of conflict.”
