Towards a Brighter Tomorrow: India's G20 Chairmanship and the Claw of a New Multilateralism

After assuming the G20 chairmanship, India sought to offer the world an alternative to the status quo, a shift from GDP-centric to people-centric development. India sought to remind the world of what unites us, not what separates us. In the end, the global conversation had to evolve - the interests of the few had to give way to the wishes of the many. This required a fundamental reform of multilateralism as we knew it.

Inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented and decisive – these four words defined our approach as Chair of the G20, and the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration (NDLD), unanimously adopted by all G20 members, demonstrates our commitment to these principles.

Participation has been at the core of our presidency. The inclusion of the African Union (AU) as a permanent member of the G20 integrated 55 African countries into the forum and expanded it to cover 80 percent of the world's population. This proactive attitude has fostered a more inclusive dialogue about global challenges and opportunities.

The first-of-its-kind "Voice of the Global South Summit", convened by India in two editions, heralded a new threshold for multilateralism. India is mainstreaming the concerns of the Global South in the international debate and has ushered in an era where developing countries take their rightful place in shaping the global narrative.

Inclusiveness also influenced India's domestic approach to the G20, making it a people's presidency befitting that world's largest democracy. Through "Jan Bhagidari"(people's participation) events, the G20 reached out to 1.4 billion citizens, with all states and Union Territories (UTs) as partners. And on the substantive front, India ensured that international attention was focused on broader development goals as mandated by the G20.

At the critical centerpiece of the 2030 Agenda, India delivered the G20 2023 Action Plan to accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It adopted a multidisciplinary, action-oriented approach to interrelated issues including health, education, gender equality and environmental sustainability.

A key part of this development is a robust digital public infrastructure (DPI). Here, India was resolute in its recommendations as it has seen firsthand the revolutionary impact of digital innovations like Aadhaar, UPI and Digilocker. Through the G20, we successfully completed the Digital Public Infrastructure Repository project, which is a significant step forward in global technological cooperation. This repository of information, which includes more than 50 DPIs from 16 countries, helps the Global South build, deploy and scale DPIs and unleash the power of inclusive growth.

For our one planet, we presented ambitious and inclusive goals to create urgent, sustainable and just change. The Declaration's "green development deal" addresses the challenges of choosing between fighting hunger and protecting the planet by outlining a comprehensive roadmap where employment and ecosystems are complementary, consumption is climate-conscious and production is planet-friendly. At the same time, the G20 declaration calls for an ambitious tripling of global renewable energy capacity by 2030. Together with the establishment of the Global Biofuels Alliance and the joint promotion of Green Hydrogen, the goals of the G20 countries to build a cleaner and greener world are undeniable. This has always been India's ethos, and through Lifestyles for Sustainable Development (LiFE), the world can benefit from our age-old sustainable traditions.

In addition, the declaration emphasizes our commitment to climate justice and equity and calls for significant financial and technological support from the Global North. For the first time, the size requirement of development financing was identified, which moved from billions to trillions of dollars. The G20 agreed that developing countries need $5.9 trillion to meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 2030.

Given the enormous resources needed, the G20 emphasized the importance of better, bigger and more effective multilateral development banks. At the same time, India is taking a leading role in UN reforms, especially in the reorganization of key bodies like the UN Security Council, which will ensure a fairer world order.

Gender equality took center stage in the declaration, and it culminated in the establishment of a working group on women's empowerment the following year. India's Women's Reservation Act 2023, in which one-third of the seats in India's Parliament and state legislatures will be reserved for women, reflects our commitment to women-led development.

The New Delhi Declaration embodies a renewed spirit of cooperation on these key priorities, focusing on policy coherence, reliable trade and ambitious climate action. It is a matter of pride that the G20 achieved 87 outcomes and 118 adopted documents during our presidency, which is a significant increase from the past.

During our G20 chairmanship, India led discussions on geopolitical issues and their impact on economic growth and development. Terrorism and the senseless killing of civilians is unacceptable and must be addressed with a zero-tolerance policy. We must portray humanitarianism rather than hostility and reiterate that this is not an age of war.

I am happy that during our presidency, India achieved something extraordinary: it revitalized multilateralism, strengthened the voice of the Global South, championed development and fought for the empowerment of women everywhere.

As we hand over the G20 presidency to Brazil, we do so with the conviction that our joint steps for people, planet, peace and prosperity will resonate for years to come.

by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi

HT

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