Tarun Chugh
It is a matter of pride for every Indian that India has got the presidency of G-20, a group of 20 big economies of the world. This speaks volume of leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose government has placed India in the top ranking countries of the world.
The G-20 presidency means that India will lead for the next one year the G-20, that represents 80 percent of the world’s GDP, a 75 percent of international trade and 60 percent of the world’s population. This is huge honour for India.
On the one hand, under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India will get an opportunity to prove its potential on the international stage and on the other hand it will give us an opportunity to present its lofty heritage, rich culture and heritage in front of the world.
India getting the chairmanship of G-20 has many aspects. The G-20 is an important forum for coordination in the international economy. As over 80 percent of the world’s GDP comes from these 20 countries, it has its bearing on the world’s trade and commerce. It will not be wrong to say that to lead G-20 would mean virtually leading the world.
On December 1, when India took over the presidency of the G-20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that ‘India’s agenda for the G20 will be inclusive, ambitious and action-oriented’. He had said that today’s challenges like climate change, terrorism and epidemics can be tackled only by working together and not by fighting with each other.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also clarified about India’s role as G-20 President in the past and said that during its presidency. India will try to build consensus among G-20 countries on many global issues. India will use this opportunity to underline the country’s ‘Three Ds i.e. Democracy, Development and Diversity.
The upcoming G-20 meetings will be one of the top international events to be hosted by India. By the way, meetings related to G-20 have already started in India. Over 200 such meetings of 32 different sectors will be organized at different places across the country. The G-20 meeting is being held in the wider context of the ‘geopolitical crisis, food and energy security and the pace of the Sustainable Development, Goals and the growing debt burden’.
India’s endeavour is to build consensus within the G-20 and to shape the issues of the Global South in particular, as well as drive this agenda forward. There will be big events across the country before the proposed summit in October-November next year. G-20 meetings are to be held in major cities including Delhi, Chandigarh, Guwahati, Lucknow, Pune, Indore, Surat, Srinagar, and Amritsar.
Apart from 20 member countries, major global organizations like United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Health Organization (WHO) will participate in these conclaves. Apart from this, permanent invitations are also sent to some other countries including Singapore, Spain, Bangladesh. Prime Minister Modi has kept the theme of India’s G-20 chairmanship ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The world is one home).
The next one year is very important for India. There is a chance to prove that India can lead in global affairs. All these events will also be important in the emergence of India as a superpower. The President of Indonesia handed over its chairmanship to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G-20 Summit held in Bali. It includes 19 countries Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, US and European Union.
During the presidency of India, there are expected to be more than 200 meetings of G-20 countries in the coming one year. These meetings will be held in 50 cities of the country. In this way India will have a chance to present its diverse and rich culture and heritage to the world.
India’s chairmanship of the G-20 has come at an opportune time, not just for India, but for the entire world as the climate crisis, COVID crisis, global supply chain crisis and debt crisis, geopolitical crisis and food and energy crises that have emerged in the recent past have thrown economies, especially developing economies, into turmoil.
The chairmanship of the G-20 does not confer any formal power, but being the host, the chairing country has its own influence. In such a situation, using its influence, India can give a meaningful direction to the G-20.
Thus under the leadership of Narendra Modi, India can give direction and vision to the world. Be it the problem of environmental change or food problem, health management or energy management, at this time the eyes of the whole world are on India. In such a situation, India has a chance to show its leadership.
India has rightly projected the theme of G-20 as ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’. Member countries will try to build consensus on global economic recession, debt crisis, poverty caused by Kovid, climate crisis. Besides this, reforms in institutions such as the World Bank, IMF and World Trade Organization will also be on the agenda.
India has become the centre of hope in the world at this time. All countries are keen to associate with India. On such an occasion, the chairmanship of a big organization like G-20 can prove to be a big opportunity for India. Decisions in the G20 are taken by consensus. It does not have a veto system like the UN. In such a situation, big decisions are possible in this and India will get its benefit.
At present, India has close relations with all the countries of the world. The warmth shown by the heads of states including American President, the British Prime Minister and the Australian Prime Minister along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bali is an indication of this. India is getting the presidency of G-20 for the first time. In such a situation, there will also be an opportunity to showcase your abilities on the international stage.
The G-20 platform, which has the potential to bring change on a global scale, will be helpful in finding a way out of the current crisis. It is time for collective action and there is no better country than India for consensus and action. There is an opportunity to position ourselves as the voice of the Global South (Latin America, Africa and Asian countries). The G-20 chairmanship will enhance India’s credibility as a responsible power in the world. Due to all this, India will be able to act as a catalyst for global changes.
(The author is the National General Secretary of BJP).