This is India's moment. It may not be wrong to state that just as with the Olympics of 2008, China had arrived in the international scene. So has Bharat, that is India in 2023 with the G20 Delhi Summit.
Before any mega international events - diplomatic or otherwise - one question that is asked is who will win and who could end up on the losing side. The success of G20 in issuing a Declaration and that too with 100 percent consensus suggests that the country that has the "strongest claim" to 'success' of G20, 2023 is Bharat, the host nation. From the very beginning, the Team Modi comprising the Prime Minister and his External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and others had to strike the right balance between the US-led western powers on one side and China and Russia on the other. In between, India, that is Bharat, has made it clear that it also wants to become the voice of the Global South.
All put together, a good and commendable show by Team Modi. The Delhi Declaration (2023), the joint statement, stands out because this year's meet saw absence of two important leaders Xi Jinping of China and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
I strongly feel the Modi government deserves all praise for organising a show at such a massive scale smoothly. Even the arrangements for media where over 3000 journalists including 2000 international journalists working round the clock were neatly organised.
In a diplomatic sense the big takeaway is the "ability" displayed by New Delhi to convince such a vast gathering. India could work with multiple leaderships and in the process emerged as a voice of 'Global South', a voice of Peace and a bridge maker-- so important in today's world of conflicts.
France has said India has given a right message of peace via the Delhi Summit and its declaration.
The very fact that the Indian government could work closely in coordination with Russians, the United States and other key players to arrive at a statement was a huge success. In the run up to the mega event, everyone thought a joint statement or a Declaration would not be possible. But the contradictions have been handled well. That's a determined approach and this is the signature style of Narendra Modi -- we the BJP karyakartas are so much aware of. Shri Modi's statesmanship always spells confidence and optimism. There will always be two ways of looking at things.
Shall we live by fear of doubts and possibility of defeats? Or shall we live by hard work, hopes and by the approach to look at positive things. The second choice makes sense. This is what we have achieved in this year's Summit.
Let us mention some facts of life and how sincerely the work began. In the Budget 2023-24, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ji had allocated Rs 990 crore for G20 Presidency. It has been reported in the media Rs 50 crore has been spent on outdoor ads from December 2022.
The G20 members comprise 19 countries and the European Union as a bloc. In the 2023 Summit, thanks to PM Modi's single minded determination, the African Union with 55 nations has been invited as a permanent member. It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
The G20 was founded in 1999 in response to several world economic crises. Since 2008, it has convened at least once a year, with summits involving each member's head of government or state, finance minister, or foreign minister, and other high-ranking officials. In its 2009 summit, the G20 declared itself the primary venue for international economic and financial cooperation.
Member nations are India, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union and now the African Union. Guest invitees include, amongst others, Spain, the United Nations, the World Bank and ASEAN.
The G-20 that way was created to ensure global financial stability. What is important is that the presidency comes on rotation. While Indonesia hosted in 2022, India in 2023 and next year it will be Brazil.
The success in emerging as a 'bridge-builder' for India in such a forum is important because in 2023, the G20 represents as much as 85 percent of the global economy and two-third of world's population. India has been able to give certain important messages. In short, the summit was a success for Bharat/India as well as the Global South, the world’s developing countries. The Global South’s position in the talks helped prevent the G20 agenda from being overshadowed by geo-political issues such as the Ukraine war.
Then the G20 would have been derailed. Our South Asian neighbour Bangladesh got an opportunity to attend the meet. The US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the Delhi summit declaration “does a very good job of standing up for the principle that states cannot use force to seek territorial acquisition". Germany and Britain have also praised the resolution. Only exception being Ukraine and it was expectedly so.
It's true, according to a European Union official the Ukraine war was the most contentious issue in the negotiations. But finally the Declaration came up very well with 100 percent consensus. To sum up, now as a BJP leader, I will say, Bharat and our Modi Govt have made it possible that the world can think together as one entity of human race and take a path towards one world, one family and one future. This is what is called Vasudeva Kutumbakam.
India was a Vishwa Guru – the world leader – centuries back. Now, PM Modi ji has revived that image again. Let us all appreciate that the spirit of the world is ‘one family’ is universal. It does not confine to one geography or any other manmade divisions.
In the words of External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, "The point to be recognised is that a common landing point (for all members) was ultimately fashioned out". India deserves credit in the end. But as we rejoice the historic moment; we must appreciate that Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa and also Turkey came to the aid of Indian negotiators who slogged for hours to ensure the Delhi Declaration and with 100 percent consensus. Among them Indonesia and Turkey are Muslim majority nations.
I readily agree, Narendra Modi's stewardship has really 'walked the talk'.
At the global level, there is another important feature that is emerging fast. Countries such as India, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Indonesia are now emerging new crucial players. They have varying governance systems, yet they are important globally.
So are countries like Japan and Germany. Slowly, a new kind of Cold War may emerge with the US and China on two extreme sides. China's debt trap history has given India a huge advantage in global polity because smaller nations show more trust in India's friendship and also in Indian democracy. The size of the economy does not matter. China may be ahead of India in economy due to multiple reasons, but now as for 'prestige and reliability'; it's India's moment in history.
This is due to economic strengths, military power and also factors such demographic characteristics, regional weight and power of soft power. India’s ‘soft power’ such as Yoga is a game-changer. As a vast democracy, we can emerge as a role model. Bharat is today able to fix global agenda.
There is a re-balancing of power happening in favour of India; and we must seize the moment.
ends
(Views are personal)
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