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G20 Diplomacy: Fostering a Shared Destiny - One Earth, One Family, and One Future
Bhadra Ashok Kumar
20 February 2024
IRGA Jan-Feb Issue 2024
Image Credits: https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/g20-summit-indias-presidency-new-delhi-leaders-declaration-a-true-watershed-moment-17789591.htm
The world’s twenty big economies came together and joined hands to make decisions for the prosperity and growth of our planet. Under the theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ the G20 countries along with other guests met at the Bharat Mandapam from 9th-10th September 2023 to spread the message of harmony and act against the global challenges.
The year 2023 constitutes a crucial period for India as the country aims to be the leading power in the Global South. From hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit to the G20 Summit 2023, the country continues to move towards rapid economic growth. India, being the super host this year, invited the leaders from the permanent member countries along with the leaders from guest countries including the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, the UAE, Oman, Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, and Nigeria.
India’s G20 presidency had multiple objectives to be discussed, along with crucial economic and financial matters of mutual interest that needed to be brought to light. The government has declared to promote and use sustainable means of input and output which would lead to the reduction in carbon emissions and also contribute to other environmental developments which has paved the country to establish its leadership in the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission. The country is also focusing on scaling up the finance department and promoting multilateral development banking, which would eventually lead to improved employment opportunities and create a healthy, safe, and quality-based environment for the workers. Another commitment the country is working towards is reducing the gender gap and promoting greater participation of women in the political structure, strategic thinking and negotiation process. The highlight of the event was the declaration of the digital public infrastructure (DPI), where essential services like payments, identification, and data exchange would be set up so that less developed regions and societies are brought into the digital world.
The G20 summit saw the declaration of an ambitious project - the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) that is set to connect India, West Asia, and Europe. Several members, including India, the United States of America, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the European Union (EU), Italy, France, and Germany, have signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for IMEC and hence establishing a strategic alliance between the countries. A quick breakdown of the economic corridor would showcase the vastness of the project where the Eastern Corridor will connect the country with the Arabian Gulf and the Northern Corridor will connect India to Europe. This billion-dollar project would connect major countries across the globe and is expected to help in the easy transport of goods and services from India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and Europe. The project is also planned to reduce the cost of transportation as it aims to utilize water and rail transit methods. Cables for electricity and hydrogen pipelines will be laid along the route allowing it to transport clean energy resources. For India, the corridor means the expansion of its digital connectivity (the expansion of the Digital Public Infrastructure), which would help enable faster cross-border transactions. This economic corridor will reduce the challenges that India has been facing in trade with West Asia. This IMEC project is once again a silent yet direct response towards China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Hence, the project is expected to bring down China’s influence on the global economy.
The G20 saw a major change in the number of member countries, as the African Union entered the dais. With a population of 1.3 billion, the African continent is a huge investment as the population is extremely young, and the average age falls in the working category. The continent is known for its gold, diamonds, and other minerals like lithium, which is significant in today’s scenario. Along with other undiscovered wealth, the continent is a treasure trove of resources. The location of the continent at the crossroads of major trade routes provides a strategic upliftment to the region. Therefore, expanding the bloc will be a huge advantage for other member countries. The African Union has been voicing its complaints to grant the African nations representation in the G20 forum for quite a while and was heard stating that a whole continent has been denied the role of global decision-making. Hence, in June 2023, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi backed the decision to include the African Union in the G20 and was granted permanent member status during the event. With this crucial movement, the Indian leadership has been able to gain a huge amount of trust from the African nations. In recent years, both countries have taken crucial steps to strengthen their diplomatic ties, mainly the “Strategic Partnership” with Tanzania, where India has invested in sectors like water, health, education, information and communication technology, etc. Along with this, India also set up a branch of IIT Madras, a prestigious educational institute in Zanzibar. Henceforth, this historic relationship between the countries has successfully transformed to constitute a strong strategic alliance.
The G20 meetings that took place in Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh were also a clear message to the international community that fragile calmness has been restored in these regions, even though the situation in these regions is quite complex. These meetings went on to be a remarkable success amid the criticisms and other external disputes. According to some sources, the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir can be seen on the trajectory of economic growth and prosperity with a reduction in law-and-order issues such as stone pelting, bombings, and other conflicts. There has also been a huge increase in tourism and people from all around the world are praising the landscape and heritage of Kashmir.
Finally, the bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council by India is a step towards creating an impactful representation in the Department of Security. This statement put forward by India during the G20 summit has been greatly appreciated and backed by The United States of America, Turkey, France, Germany, Brazil, and Japan. Along with this, India has also stated that “Today’s era must not be of war”, wherein the country clearly states in its G20 declaration for leaders that there should be peaceful resolutions to conflicts and address crises through diplomacy and dialogue.
Hence, the G20 summit 2023 ended with the New Delhi declaration that emphasized sustainable development, conflict resolution, food security, and poverty eradication, bringing together the globe and developing the world economy. This summit has proved to be a great leap for our country, as India seeks to cooperate with other nations for further development in the discussed areas as well as be the leading voice in the Global South. This summit has been appreciated by leaders all over the globe. With the successful hosting of over 220 meetings across 60 cities in all 28 states, India was able to bring together the nations and highlight the importance of collective efforts to face the current global challenges.
References
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