India's rise from ashes of colonialism worth in-depth analysis: S African minister

Johannesburg: India's rise from the ashes of colonialism to becoming a tech giant today is worth an in-depth analysis, a South African minister said at a BRICS summit on Wednesday.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister in the presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, hailed India’s rise in the global economy.

"The Indian civilisation, which spans thousands of years, and the country’s rise and development from the ashes of colonialism should be looked at closely," she told delegates from the BRICS bloc at the BRICS Youth Summit in Durban.

The summit is one of a range of preparatory meetings for the 15th BRICS Summit to be attended by leaders of the member countries in Johannesburg next month. The BRICS bloc comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

“Three decades ago, few imagined that India would rule the IT industry, and that of the top ten IT companies in the world, nearly half would be of Indian origin. Fewer of us imagined that Indian companies would be providing jobs globally, including in the West," Dlamini-Zuma said.

“The history, investment, and decisive leadership that went into making India a tech giant today is worth an in-depth analysis,” the minister said.

She urged the youth to take responsibility and drive initiatives to change the course of global history by breaking away from the dominant Eurocentric narratives of the world.

“Every single one of you in this summit is sitting on the verge of a geopolitical revolution that is BRICS, and all of you are in the process of jolting the global community from its slumber,” she said.

“What we make of BRICS and what becomes of this alliance has the potential to change the course of history and accelerate the downfall of an unjust imperialist world order. BRICS is a breakaway from the past,” the minister said in her opening remarks.

Dlamini-Zuma urged the delegates to pay particular attention to skills, knowledge and cultural exchanges amongst BRICS youth in order to deepen and future-proof this alliance.

“With the advent of the internet and digital transformation, skills and cultural exchange programmes are easier and cheaper. I expect to see your plans to learn each other’s languages as a fundamental tool of further integration and deepening of ties within BRICS,” she said.

She called on the youth to understand the history of BRICS nations themselves and break away from the traditional representation of once-colonial nations.

“These narratives are mere Western representations of our nations aimed at reproducing old patterns of domination and control of the world at all costs.

"You need to invest in an accurate version of your past in order to take the wheel and steer this BRICS train of freedom and multipolarity towards its logical and intended destination," she said.

The minister asked the younger people to strive towards a society where everyone has basic socio-economic security.

“As BRICS youth leaders, you have the responsibility to rally all of the Global South and all of Africa behind the win-win and mutually reinforcing vision of BRICS,” she said.