On the first day of the two-day G20 Summit in Delhi hosted by India, several major achievements were recorded, including the adoption of the joint statement Delhi Declaration by G20 leaders. This has been seen as a major achievement of Indian diplomates, as there were major differences among the member countries, particularly on the Russia-Ukraine war and reduction in fossil fuel use. Through the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, the G20 members have made commitments to a wide range of issues.
While the adaptation of the Delhi Declaration is a major achievement, there are several other achievements of the G20 under India’s presidency.
Compared to previous presidencies, the G20 event witnessed one of the most inclusive and delivery-oriented events. The G20 under India’s presidency have achieved 73 outcomes or lines of effort and 39 annexed presidency documents, totalling 112. This is the highest number of outcomes and presidency documents in the G20 history and is substantially more than previous presidencies.
India’s presidency of the G20 bloc, and the summit meeting in Delhi, have helped establish India as a major player at the global stage, showcasing the country’s ability to lead global bodies.
The G20 event in India was a vast exercise, which included over 220 meetings in over 60 cities, where over 25000 delegates from more than 115 countries in the world. While the summit meeting is taking place in Delhi, other meetings were held in all over India, including in North East, Ladakh etc. The over 220 meetings included 17 ministerial meetings and 3 Sherpa meetings.
The event has stayed true to its message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ as it had the largest participation from the African Union. The inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of G20 at the New Delhi Summit is another high point.
The G20 Summit also saw the presence of the largest number of world leaders. Apart from the G20 members, leaders or heads of several other countries also joined the meeting as invitees. Heads of 9 guest countries and 14 international organisations are participating in the Summit. Moreover, in the previous various events and meetings, 32 non-G20 countries had participated.
Several important developments took place on the first day of the G20 Summit Meeting on 9 September. Some of the major developments are:
Inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20, which was pushed by India. This highlights India’s message of inclusive growth and providing a voice for all.
The issue of trust deficit among countries that have emerged in recent years was discussed, as mentioned by PM Modi after the first session. The first session on ‘One Earth’ included discussions on the International Year of Millets, Green Grids Initiative – One Sun, One World, One Grid, Natural Farming and National Green Hydrogen Mission.
A comprehensive rail and shipping connectivity network was announced linking the US, India, Saudi Arabia & Gulf and Arab states, and the European Union. This will be a big rival to China’s Belt and Road project, which has left a host of developing countries in deep debt such as Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia, Laos and Mongolia. China has been accused of “debt trap diplomacy” due to this.
The countries involved in the new rail and shipping corridor will experience an increased flow of energy, trade and digital communications. The corridor will tackle the infrastructure deficit that hampers growth in lower- and middle-income nations, and will help in reducing tensions and instability in the Middle East, thereby improving overall regional security.
Delhi Declaration was adopted with the agreements of China and Russia. The two countries were objecting to use of strong language over the Ukraine issue, as demanded by G7 and EU nations. It called on nations to uphold international law, including territorial integrity and sovereignty, international humanitarian law, and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability.
According to India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, the focus areas of the New Delhi G20 declaration were:
- Strong, Sustainable, Balanced, and Inclusive Growth
- Accelerating Progress on SDGs
- Green Development Pact for a Sustainable Future
- Multilateral Institutions for the 21st Century
- Reinvigorating Multilateralism
PM Modi also announced the launch of the Global Biofuel Alliance to boost the use of cleaner fuels. It was affirmed that this alliance will accelerate global efforts to meet net zero emissions targets by facilitating trade in biofuels derived from various sources, including plant and animal waste.
While these were the achievements on day one of the G20 Summit, several other initiatives by India were adopted by the G20 in previous meetings. This includes Deccan High-Level Principles on Food Security and Nutrition, Chennai High-Level Principles for Blue/Ocean Economy, Goa Roadmap for Tourism, Gandhinagar Implementation Roadmap for land restoration, Jaipur Call for Action to enhance MSMEs access to information.
The G20 summit, being held at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi, has been an astute visual treat that embraced Bharat in its totality celebrating the Santana roots with pride, shedding away the pre-existent colonial mindset.
A 28 feet tall Nataraja statue that adorned the entry point of Bharat Mandapam is a testament to India’s purity and brilliance. The mandapam also presented a ‘Culture Corridor’, that brings the best and the most valuable artefacts from all the 29 countries in one space signifying the essence of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the theme of the G20.