The G20 Leadership Summit is being held in New Delhi. India’s Presidency of G20 has been witnessed by the members of international community as a responsible player despite all the challenges the world has been confronting. When India assumed the Presidency of G20 on 1 December 2022, there was a lot of speculation on whether India would be able to assume the responsibilities and take the lead in global affairs. The mandate of the G20 has been on international economic cooperation as well as harmonizing the developmental agenda with the perils of climate change. The varying approaches adopted by both the developed and developing countries mainly in taking measures to stabilize global economy were very well understood by India and worked hard over the year to see how the global cooperation can only provide the answer to the ongoing slowing down of the economy.
There is no denying the fact that a new world order is in the making and India is in the centre stage of global politics. India very well understands all the predicaments of changing dynamics of geopolitics and has been attempting to see how the members of international community in general and the G20 in particular align with the peace. India has shown to the world that it will never leave any stone unturned in achieving global peace and stability. India has always been finding ways to create a win-win situation for all and never believes in zero sum game.
India has laid out a blueprint for the world especially in carving out pressing global problems. It has reflected how India has transitioned itself as an agenda setter in the international system. The atmospherics in the current context find resonance with India’s “will and resolve” to treat the world as a family. It has been constantly focused on a human centric development model, which, in turn, reflects India’s G20 slogan “one earth, one family and one future”. Since G20 members have 80% of the GDP of the global economy and occupies pivotal place in global geopolitics, the responsibility is bestowed more with these members to avoid contradictions and foster cooperation on all the global issues impacting peace and development.
India has pitched for African Union (AU) to be included in G20. It is certain that the AU will become a part of G20 and this perhaps will be very important development especially in bringing AU as a partner in addressing all the global challenges. More importantly their inclusion will also help in bridging the divide as well as provide all the support for a better economic prosperity. India has also put more emphasis on getting Global South its due in the international system. India technically has emerged as the voice for Global South.
India has been scaling high and hence its responsibilities have also grown. The expectations of the members of international community have also grown mainly in seeing India as a part of the solution to the global problem. India has been able to show the way to the rest of the world as to how they could become less dependent on the use of fossil fuel. India’s achievement in reducing its dependency on the use of fossil fuel less than 60% was achieved in December 2022 virtually eight years before the scheduled time stipulated in the Paris Protocol.
India during leadership summit has built consensus on “Biofuel Alliance” which will further help in addressing to the concerns emanating from climate change. Both Biofuel Alliance and International Solar Alliance will help a great deal in India’s idea of “Energy Transitions”. India obviously will keep coming up with the solutions to the growing per capita emission. The debates on “Climate Finance” will also feature prominently during the deliberations at the G20 summit. Hopefully, India will be able to mobilise the developed countries in terms of getting a formal commitment in addressing to the needs of climate finance. The requisite funds for the green technology will also be explored and in this regard the overall challenges which might get accrued in the ongoing energy transitions will be addressed.
India was well prepared for a “Joint Communique”, which was released on Saturday. It will be an important step towards aligning geo-economics with geopolitics. China is being represented by its Premier and not President Xi and Russia is represented by its Foreign Minister and not President Putin. These should not be seen as stumbling blocks for the world to progress. Most of the content in the Joint Communique is for fostering greater cooperation among member states on the world’s most pressing problems such as Sustainable Development Goals and their realization by 2030, mechanisms to deal with climate change, food security, developmental agendas and its synchronization with environmental security, world peace, preservation of global biodiversity, stable global supply chains, trade and fostering a greater economic cooperation.
India’s acumen in its diplomatic maneuvering and its reflection of the intent to think and work for the world will make it successful in coming out with flying colours. India’s voice is now well heard and its spirit to solve the global problems will obviously help India become “Vishwaguru”. India should use this G20 moment for achieving economic progress, global peace and stability.
Dr Arvind Kumar is Professor of United States’ Studies at School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.