In what has been revealed to several G-20 member nations, India’s Presidency witnessed a significant boost to the institution, which has no permanent secretariat and the head is rotatory. However, given geopolitical roadblocks as the gap between the West and Russia/China is represented in reference to the War in Ukraine in the principal document, the Joint Communique, which is a regular publication following each summit, may become a hurdle.
To begin, the G 20 consists of 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. The G20 countries account for around 85% of worldwide GDP, more than 75% of global commerce, and almost two-thirds of the global population.
Recognising the G-20’s primary role as a forum for international economic cooperation, as well as its role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues, India conducted a wide range of activities ranging from tourism to climate change, in addition to the core issues of economy, finance, and trade. With over 200 events organised around the nation, the message of fairness and diversity was well transmitted and greatly appreciated by hundreds of worldwide participants, many of whom were first-time visitors. It was a stressful year for the organisers, but the outcome was universally praised. In short, India has set a very high standard for members who would take over the Presidency in the coming years.
The stage was set for the Summit on September 9 and 10, with everything in place to welcome senior leaders from across the world, including US President Joe Biden. However, while general preparations for the G-20 Summit were underway, the character of the Summit debate and the challenges in drafting a Joint Communique were a cause for worry. In the two years since the commencement of the war in Ukraine, there has been an acute struggle between the G-20’s political and economic interests. While India, as the forum’s President, has stressed that geopolitics is not on the agenda, this cannot be avoided. For example, Russia, one of the G 20’s core members and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, was represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. President Vladimir Putin conveyed his apologies to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a phone call.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin was not expected to attend the G20 Summit, putting a good friend and strategic partner in a difficult situation given the blowback from the West, China’s President Xi Jinping’s absence has been seen from a different perspective, ranging from poor relations with host India to downplaying the importance of the US-dominated G20 so that he can build up BRICS.
Some observers believe that Xi’s absence was an attempt to reduce the G20 to size others in order to reduce India, which is making a worldwide appeal for the top stage in its due place. Some believe that Xi intends to establish BRICS as a counter-narrative to the G20. It is thought that, despite objections, China’s aim of increasing BRICS membership was achieved in South Africa last month. Russia and China may come to dominate the BRICS in the future. The G20 is run by the West. India, which believes in a reformed multi-alignment strategy, was seen straddling both platforms but was successful in striking a balance.
Returning to the Joint Communique, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who has decades of diplomatic experience, had stated that Russia was ready to veto any summit Declaration that did not represent Moscow’s views on Ukraine and other problems. “There will be no general Declaration on behalf of all members if our position is not reflected,” Lavrov was cited as saying ahead of the G20 Sherpa conference, which would attempt to resolve the standoff over how to refer to the Ukraine War. Western members were expected to insist on identifying and humiliating Russia, which would have been unacceptable to both Moscow and China, another UNSC non-permanent member. However, India managed to diplomatically bail out Russia with a diluted collective tone towards the Ukraine conflict.
The recent India-China dispute on numerous topics, most notably the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which saw only a brief meeting between President Xi and Prime Minister Modi on the margins of the BRICS conference in August, is anticipated to overshadow the G 20 conference as well. As a result, President Xi withdrew from the conference, instead sending Prime Minister Li Qiang. Li took office as Prime Minister in March of this year and is seen as a relative newcomer to the international stage.
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Furthermore, in the run-up to the Summit, China was allegedly supposed to address themes such as Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), women-led development, MSMEs, and even India’s slogan for the G20 presidency, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” in other venues. There were speculations whether this would come in the form of a rejection by Beijing for refusing to accept President Xi’s desire to separate the border problem from the bigger India-China relationship. Which didn’t surface or was put to rest diplomatically.
What concerned India amidst her remarkable successes in rallying G-20 members on a variety of economic challenges may have been eclipsed by the mood of geo and regional politics during the Summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10. However, the resounding success of the summit was another testament to Indian Diplomacy at play to bring the world together. ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’ in true sense.
