India was never expansionist; stayed away from others' resources: PM Modi

India has never moved forward with the expansionist mindset and always stayed away from the feeling of grabbing others' resources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday.

The prime minister's comments during an address at a special session of the Parliament of Guyana came amid growing global concerns over China's expansionist behaviour as well as conflicts arising out of territorial disputes.

Modi, referring to geopolitical tensions, said it is time to identify the conditions leading to conflicts and remove them.

"Today, there are so many challenges like terrorism, drugs, cybercrime, that only by fighting them, we will be able to shape the future of our coming generations," he said.

"And this is possible only when we give centre stage to democracy first - humanity first. India has always spoken based on principles, trust and transparency," Modi said.

"If even one country, even one region is left behind, then our global goals will never be achieved. That is why India says -- every nation matters," he added.

Showcasing India's foreign policy approach, Modi noted that India has never moved forward with selfishness.

"We have never moved forward with the feeling of expansionism. We have always stayed away from the feeling of occupying resources, grabbing resources," he said.

"I believe, be it space or sea, these should not be subjects of universal conflict but cooperation. This is not the time for conflict for the world either," he said. 

The prime minister said, "This is the time to identify the conditions that create conflict and remove them".

Highlighting India's priority to ensure the welfare of the developing nations, Modi said a united voice of the Global South is crucial.

"This is the time for the awakening of the Global South," he said, adding democracy is in "India's DNA, in our vision and our conduct".

Modi said India stands in favour of global development in every way.

"With this spirit, today India has also become the voice of the Global South. India believes the Global South has suffered a lot in the past," he said.

"In the past, we progressed by protecting nature according to our nature and culture. But many countries developed by harming the environment. Today, the countries of the Global South are paying the biggest price of climate change," he added.

Modi asserted it is very important to get the world out of "this imbalance".

"Whether it is India or Guyana, we have aspirations of development, dreams of giving a better life to our people. For this, a united voice of the Global South is very important," he said.

"This is the time for the awakening of the countries of the Global South. This time is allowing us to come together and create a new global order. And I see a big role of all you representatives of Guyana in this," he said.

Delving into various issues, Modi said the world of the 21st century faces different kinds of challenges.

"Today both our countries are strengthening democracy in the world. Therefore, today in the Parliament of Guyana, I greet all of you on behalf of 140 crore Indians," he said.

The prime minister said in the current global circumstances, the "strongest mantra" to move ahead is "democracy first -- humanity first".

"The spirit of 'Democracy First' teaches us to take everyone along, take everyone along and participate in everyone's development. The spirit of 'Humanity First' determines the direction of our decisions," he said.

"When we make humanity first the basis of our decisions, the results are also in the interest of humanity," he noted.  PM Modi pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue during visit to Guyana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue mounted at the historic Promenade Gardens here and remembered Gandhiji's eternal principles of peace and non-violence.

"PM @narendramodi paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue mounted at the historic Promenade Gardens in Georgetown," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X.

The prime minister also paid homage to Indian heritage in Guyana during his visit to the Indian Arrival Monument at the Monument Gardens in Georgetown, the MEA spokesperson said in a separate post on X.

"PM recalled the struggle and sacrifices of the Indian diaspora and their pivotal contribution to Guyana's nation-making. As a mark of respect, PM planted a Bel patra (Aegle marmelos) sapling at the monument," the post said.

Modi also visited the Saraswati Vidya Niketan School in Guyana and recalled his visit to this school, more than two decades back and appreciated the efforts of Swami Akasharananda ji and his team in inculcating traditional Indian values and culture in students, contributing towards their holistic education, the post said.

He also visited the Arya Samaj monument here and participated in the recitation of "Ram Bhajan" during the visit.

"PM @narendramodi paid floral tribute at the Arya Samaj monument in Georgetown today. The Arya Samaj monument was unveiled in 2011 to commemorate 100 years of the Arya Samaj movement in Guyana."  The prime minister also addressed a special session of the National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana on Thursday. He is the first Indian leader to do so.

The prime minister thanked the government and the people of Guyana for the honour bestowed on him and underscored the salience of India-Guyana shared histories, democratic traditions, and pluralism in fostering closer ties.  Culture, cuisine, cricket connect India, Guyana: PM Modi at community address

Culture, cuisine and cricket connect India and Guyana deeply, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, emphasising the commonalities between the two nations.

Addressing a community programme in Guyana on Thursday, the prime minister commended the Indo-Guyanese community and their contribution to the development of the Caribbean nation.

"Three things, in particular, connect India and Guyana deeply. Culture, cuisine and cricket," he said.

Saluting the spirit of the Indo-Guyanese community, he said, "You have fought for freedom and democracy. You have worked to make Guyana one of the fastest-growing economies."  "From humble beginnings, you have risen to the top," he added.

Calling the diaspora "rashtradoots", Modi said that they are ambassadors of Indian culture and values.

"You can take an Indian out of India, but you cannot take India out of an Indian," he said.

The prime minister underscored that the Indo-Guyanese community has Guyana as its "motherland" and 'Bharat mata' as its "ancestral land"  Talking about India's growth, he said it has not only been inspirational but also inclusive.

"India's journey over the past decade has been one of scale, speed and sustainability," he said.

The prime minister arrived here in Guyana on Wednesday, making it the first visit by an Indian head of state to the country in more than 50 years.