Economic Ties Alone Not Enough For Global Cooperation: Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday called for greater cultural exchange, mutual respect and people-to-people dialogue among countries, cultures and communities, saying that building a peaceful and prosperous world required cooperation beyond economic and trade relations.

Inaugurating the second edition of the Global Impact Forum 2026 (GIF) in Mumbai, Mr Fadnavis said economic engagement alone was insufficient and that stronger cultural and people-to-people ties were essential for meaningful international cooperation. He also stressed the need for a multipolar world and said Mumbai’s multicultural character and its position as India’s financial, technology and startup hub made it an ideal venue for the global forum.

The GIF was convened to deliberate on building contemporary global partnerships through diverse cultures, ancient wisdom, traditions and shared experiences. The event was attended by diplomatic representatives, business leaders, scholars and cultural personalities from the BRICS nations.

Among those present were Brazil’s Consul General in Mumbai Jose Mauro Fonseca Costa Couto, Russian Consul General Ivan Fetisov, Chinese Consul General Qin Yi and South African Consul General Gideon Labane.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Fadnavis said that despite differences in cultures, traditions, ideologies and lifestyles, societies across the world shared universal human values. “Mere economic dialogue cannot make the world a better place. Dialogue based on human values, cultural heritage and the exchange of experiences is equally essential,” he said.

Greeting the gathering on the occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami, Mr Fadnavis referred to Lord Krishna’s message of inclusiveness, righteousness and the triumph of truth. He said the world was fragmented at several levels and the global order appeared increasingly imbalanced. Differences in opinions, cultures and ideologies, however, should not prevent countries from finding common ground and strengthening mutual understanding through dialogue, he said.

“I think this unification cannot happen through structured political dialogue. It can only happen through people-to-people dialogue, dialogue around culture and shared values,” the Maharashtra CM said.

Highlighting India’s civilisational philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), Mr Fadnavis said India had historically played a significant role in global trade and that, along with commerce, Indian ideas and values had influenced various countries. “Buddhism is an important example of this. This philosophy, which travelled from India to different parts of the world several centuries ago, created a significant impact. Notably, these ideas spread not through war, conflict or violence, but through the power of thought and values,” he said.

Speaking about BRICS, the Chief Minister said the grouping was born out of the idea of diversity and should not be viewed as an alliance against the powers of the Global North. Countries such as India, China, Russia, Brazil and South Africa, with their ancient and rich civilisations, had a wealth of experiences, traditions and values to offer the world, he said.

Welcoming the second edition of GIF to Mumbai, Mr. Fadnavis said the city was an ideal venue for such an event. “Mumbai’s multicultural character makes it a better place for a global forum that seeks to bring together different countries, cultures and perspectives,” he said.

GIF director Janhavi Pawar said the platform aimed to create new opportunities for partnerships among BRICS countries through cultural similarities and mutual cooperation while working towards positive and long-term global impact.

The programme also featured an audiovisual presentation highlighting cultural similarities and the strong partnership between India and Brazil through music, dance, sports and festivals.