India 2023 G20 Summit :- All You Need To Know

In the 21st century, every culture, every society  in every corner of the globe has realised this basic law of progress -

"In spite of resistance, help and not fight, assimilation and not destruction, harmony and peace and not dissension."

In case if you're wondering whose quote is this, the man is none other than Swami Vivekananda - truly a prophetic intellect beyond the borders of nations. 

It was him who resounded 130 years ago, in the great halls of the Chicago Conference -

"Yesterday competition was the law. Today co-operation is the law."

This is all of foreign policy in a nutshell for you.

Now it will be very obvious to say that a very effective ingredient in nation-building is having a strong shoulder in international affairs. Call it foreign policy, diplomatic relations or global voice - majorly boosts a country's trade, strengthens its economy, promotes tourism and helps a nation be a part of this planet's joint venture to a perfected civilization!

The core subject of our today's blog, the G20 summit, was born in these very lines of purpose.

What does the G20 do?

Established in 1999 after a series of major international debt crises, initially a group of 7 major powers G7, the now Group of 20 aims to unite world leaders around shared economic, political and health challenges.

G20 includes 19 countries plus the European Union considered collectively. The G20 group combined represents 80% of the total global economic output. 

Fun fact - India did not really earn the G20 hosting in any way, but actually the summit turnwise gets passed to its member countries to host. The first two times the summit was held in America and then in 2023, India was actually the 18th country to get the chance to host the G20 only before Brazil and South Africa.

Diplomatic Triumphs for India after the Summit

We all must realise that the 20 countries participating in the Summit include some big big superpowers, developing nations as well as nations who need a voice. 

Hence, each nation is here to satisfy its own interests, set its own agendas  and solve its own part of problems. 

For example, countries like USA, Canada or the European Union, wearing a masquerade of protectors of democracy and all that, will but only want strong condemnation for Russia for the war in Ukraine. It is sort of their agenda - to constantly showcase Western dominance and supress it's long foe Russia.

On the other hand, the innocent developing nations simply cannot relate to these First world concerns and wants to avoid messing about. They only want to flow-in foreign investments, trade deals and diplomatic partnership from strong nations. And it's obviously very fair for them.

All of this was but a tiny glimpse of the complexity to host the G20 countries. But our highly excelled leaders, diplomats only sensed opportunity in the guise of obstacles!

It turns out that India did an extraordinary job to unite the world, (yeah, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam) and at the same time achieved its own interests.

1. The Delhi Joint Declaration

To make all the G20 members agree on even a single issue is a mammoth task.

Last year, in the Indonesia summit, Russia was strongly condemned for the Ukraine War. 

For the joint declaration, hence, Russia and China expressed objection. So the declaration was issued without any agreements.

Even in the summit in India, many experts had assumed that no joint declaration will be achieved even this time.

This was THE issue that was going define how the world saw India's stewardship of the G20.

Had Delhi failed to achieve consensus and release a joint declaration, the G20 summit may have been described as a failure.

Eventually, a compromise was brokered that significantly toned down criticism of Russia.

As a result, at the end of the day, all parties were happy - USA, Canada and the EU as well as Russia.

2. India emerging as a Voice of the Global South

With the absence of China from the G20 due to various reasons, India stepped up to lead as one of the future superpowers. As I said, in the conflicts between NATO countries and Russia, China - India acted as a mediator, big brother and a guide to resolve for better.

India also paved a way for the debt relief for countries like Ghana, Zambia and Ethiopia from the CoViD-19 pandemic by co-operating with the Work Bank and International Monetory Fund.

Cherry on the cake, we made the African Union as the permanent G20 (or G21? Hahaha) member, again, proving to our theme Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

3. Climate Change Solution

The India-led Global Biofuel Alliance was also launched today

The goal: To "take an initiative at a global-level to take ethanol blending in petrol up to 20%"

This is part of India's larger clean energy push.

So friends, let me rest my case for today's blog here. 

Let us all try our best to make this world better and better, and also by making India more and more developed. 

Thanks,

Daksh Parekh.