"Humanity comes before democracy," said the prime minister at Guyana House.

During his speech in Guyana, Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to "democracy and humanity first" and its non-expansionist stance, thereby fortifying bilateral relations.

In fulfilling its responsibilities as a Vishwa Bandhu, or friend to the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that India has never advanced with an expansionist mindset, has avoided usurping the resources of others, has been motivated by the values of trust and transparency, and has always made an honest effort to assist any nation that is experiencing a crisis. He also added that India has been guided by the philosophy of "democracy and humanity first."

Speaking at the special session of the Guyana Parliament in Georgetown, Modi urged the world to tackle complex issues by adhering to the principle of "democracy and humanity first." He emphasized that this meant involving everyone and making decisions that would benefit humanity as a whole.

"The tenet of 'democracy first' instructs us to embrace everyone and work together to advance one another. "Humanity first" directs our choices. Humanity benefits when we base our decisions on the principle of "humanity first."

Modi is the first Indian prime minister to travel to the South American nation in fifty-six years.

"This is not a time for conflict for the planet. Now is the moment to recognize and eradicate the factors that contribute to conflict.During his 30-minute speech, he stated that "space and the seas should be subjects of universal cooperation, not universal conflict."

"For this reason, India views island nations as big ocean countries rather than as small ones." The speech was given the day after India and Guyana agreed to expand their cooperation in areas like defense, urban development, education, and food security and signed a number of memorandums of understanding in a number of important sectors, including banking, agriculture, health, and hydrocarbons.

"India has always arrived first when a calamity has struck any nation. Our values are these. Modi made reference to aid given to Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Nepal, Turkey, and Syria when he stated, "We have never advanced with a selfish approach, and we have never had an expansionist mindset."

Recalling the long-standing historical connections between Guyana and India, Modi said that despite their geographical separation, their shared culture and democratic values united them and aided in their advancement along an inclusive course.

"Democracy is the best instrument for creating an inclusive society. Guyana and India have demonstrated that democracy is more than just a set of rules or laws. It is ingrained in our behavior, our perspective, and our DNA," he stated.

In his speech, Modi emphasized India's position as a first responder and its willingness to assist any nation in need, whether it be during a natural disaster, a conflict, or the Covid-19 pandemic, when it provided vaccines and medications to more than 150 countries.

We had to transition to a new global order following the pandemic, but the globe became mired in other issues. Under these conditions, "democracy first, humanity first" must be the guiding principle of global progress.

For the bright future of the next generation, he stated, it is imperative that the globe address issues like terrorism, narcotics, and cybercrimes. "Only if the maxim 'democracy first, humanity first' takes center stage will this be achievable."

According to Modi, it is essential that the Global South speak with one voice. "This is the moment for the Global South to awaken," he declared, adding that India's motto of "humanity first" motivates it to raise the Global South's voice, particularly during the most recent G-20 Summit in Brazil.

He also noted how India made women-led development a top priority during its G-20 leadership last year and stated that women will be essential to guaranteeing global prosperity in the twenty-first century.

In order to fully realize the potential of the youth, he advocated for increased educational and innovative exchanges between Guyana and India. Guyana may serve as the bridge, he added, highlighting India's strong commitment to deepening India-Guyana ties.

He expressed gratitude to President Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana for hosting the 2nd India-Caricom Summit and reaffirmed India's unwavering commitment for the Caribbean.


Modi stated during the summit on Wednesday that India intends to strengthen its collaboration with nations in the Caricom (Caribbean Community), concentrating on seven main areas: innovation, technology and trade, cricket and culture, agriculture and food security, renewable energy and climate change, medicine and healthcare, and capacity building.

The term Caricom, which is linked to the PM, is made up of the seven areas that Modi highlighted. Caricom is a coalition of 21 nations, comprising six associate members and 15 member governments.