India's Priorities As The New Chair Of G-20

New Delhi [India]: As India took over G20 Presidency for the year 2023 from Indonesia, all eyes are set on India as New Delhi would set the agenda that would create an environment of better cooperation between the global south and advanced nations as it stands non-partisan and enjoys the trust of both.

The agenda will likely be cooperation for sustainable and equitable development for shared global peace and prosperity and capacity building to face emerging global challenges.

Prosperity and peace in the global South will be the focus of India’s presidency of the G20.

This was the clear import of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address while unveiling the logo, website, and agenda of the presidency under the theme Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or one earth, one family, one future.

As one of the biggest multilateral platforms commanding 85 per cent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and two-thirds of its population, the G20 wields significant influence, especially among the developed countries in North America and Europe. The Global South refers to the developing and less developed countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa and Oceania.

There is great hope from India in the developing world which is facing the repercussions of the Great Power conflict in the present geopolitical uncertainty, economic headwinds, and adverse impacts of the climate crisis. India would focus on ensuring cooperation among the G-20 countries to help build reliable supply chains for basic goods as well as energy security.

In his address, the Prime Minister of India said the presidency of India was beginning at a time of crisis and chaos in a world disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, prolonged conflict, and economic uncertainty.

He underlined the uniqueness of India’s position as a country that understood the priorities of the developed countries and appreciated the challenges and ambitions of the developing world, thereby allowing it to act as a bridge to meet expectations. In fact, India could afford this as it is not part of any camp competing for dominance and hegemony.

Rather than steering ahead skewed agenda favouring one country or one group, India would direct its efforts to secure a more prosperous and harmonious world. India realises well that the world is moving towards multipolarity and rebalancing as articulated by Foreign Minister

S Jaishankar in Moscow during his meeting with his Russian counterpart. This indicates India’s preference for pragmatism/realism and flexibility to address global problems.

The G-20 under India’s presidency would leverage its unique position in the geo-political order. India’s decades-long championing of the causes of the global South and poorer nations allowed it to become a leader of developing countries.

And its new brand of interest-based engagement, free from ideological or dogmatic fetters, has allowed it to leverage its strengths in an uncertain world.

The indications are already coming clear what India thinks is the priority for the global community- both the rich and poor, the mighty and the weak. Prime Minister Modi had conveyed to President Putin in Samarkand in September that this is not an era of war.

Reiterating the same position, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on November 15 noted that the global economy is too inter-dependent not to be impacted by a significant conflict and the Global South is feeling ‘this pain very acutely’, especially after two years of the pandemic.

India has been consistently working to make a fair and human global order. Speaking after the bilateral talks with his Russian counterpart, Jaishankar noted that India ‘strongly advocates a return to dialogue and diplomacy’ and is on the side of ‘peace, respect for international law and support for the UN Charter’. He even offered help in issues including food grains, fertilizer shipments, and support for any initiative that de-risks the global economy. These are remarkable signals of how India is ready to see its responsibility for the resolution of global political and economic crises.