Gordon Brown spelt out his vision for a world order underpinned by British values, to meet the economic and security challenges of globalisation, in India yesterday.
Revealing the international priorities of a Brown premiership likely to begin this summer, the Chancellor argued that global institutions must be inclusive and open to represent the emerging world order.
Without sounding like a British bulldog, he nevertheless beat the drum for Britain, hailing British values as the building blocks for the new institutions.
"I see myself as representing Britain and doing my best for Britain, talking about what is going to bring Britain prosperity in years to come. Everything is a challenge because there are new opportunities we can build for our country.
"We can help to build things and shape this new world order in a way that is good for Britain and British values," he said.
Earlier, when he and Alistair Darling, the Trade and industry secretary, visited companies which have invested in Britain and British companies, Mr Brown trumpeted the strength of the British-Indian partnership.
Speaking to the Confederation of Indian Industry in Bangalore on his first visit to the sub-continent, he challenged institutions to reform to meet the needs of this century.
He pointed out that the institutions had dealt with the demands of the world during the Cold War, but now needed to change to meet the demands of the modern world.
He said: "I believe that it is only now, as we see the impact of globalisation, that we can also imagine the full shape of the emerging new world order - a new world economic, political and social order, driven forward not just by considerations of the balance of military strength and ordinary political power, but by the seismic shift in social and economic power brought forward by globalisation."
Making no secret of his wish to let India join the United Nations Security Council, he said: "My theme today is how co-operating together and with a plan to reform our international institutions we can ensure that globalisation works to ensure proserity and opportunity for not just some of the people, but all of the people."
His agenda is ambitious - he urged reform of the United Nations, the G8, Nato, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union, which he said must move from looking inward to outward-looking internationalists in a global Europe.
Acknowledging India's role as the third biggest UN peacekeeping force, he urged the UN to modernise to become an effective peacemaker in the modern world.
Aware that India was only slowly opening doors to foreign investors, he made clear he hoped that Britain and India would continue to co-operate to their mutual benefit.
"I am sure that India and Britain together - the world's largest democracy and one of the world's oldest democracies, with our shared history and culture, and common values of understanding and tolerance - can, working in unison, play a critical role as partners in addressing the great challenges of our times."
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