With the handing over of the gavel by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over the leadership of the G20 process on Wednesday, which would put India in a position to build a consensus among most advanced economies next year. India’s presidential term, which begins on December 1, comes at a time when the world is facing economic difficulties and a global recessionary trend. In addition, political polarization between the US and the European Union, and Russia, all G20 members, will taint every meeting that India will host. But, he G20 Summit in Bali Gave some positive signs. Despite fears that the G20 members would fail to come up with a joint statement, Sherpas from each delegation tried to reach a 17-page consensus document. As expected, there was a problem with the paragraphs on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Moderating some of the language during the talks highlighted India’s role, and Mr Modi’s phrase at the SCO summit in September, that this is “not an era of war”, was included in the final statement. The majority of the G20 leadership was not in favor of striking a balance on the conflict, as India and some other countries have been doing, and the joint communique noted that “the majority of members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine”. It was a positive sign that while Russia protested the statement, its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was present, and President Putin’s absence actually contributed to a more manageable summit for Indonesia.
The fact that Mr Modi also extended his hand to Chinese President Xi Jinping during the banquet is a stark contrast to his stoic demeanor at the SCO summit in September and may signal a thaw in talks between them for the first time since the LAC standoff began. Could 2020. While Mr. Modi may have to explain the change domestically, his decision to speak to the Chinese President also reflects the practical reality that India, as the host of the G20 and SCO in 2023, needs full participation in those would need to be sure. grouping, which includes rivals such as China and Pakistan. More such pragmatism will be necessary for India in the year of the G20 presidency, with nearly 200 meetings planned. To achieve this, New Delhi will have to bring all countries together with its vision for the future of the Forum – to lead the world to economic leadership through these difficult times, and to address climate change and global warming, food and energy shortages, One has to prepare for future threats including terrorism and extremism. conflict, and bridging the digital divide.