India's G20 presidency sends message of inclusion, democratisation

New Delhi: India, ever since it took over the rotating presidency of the G20 in December last year, has made persistent efforts to send a message that as a leader in multilateral platforms, it will work to usher in inclusive agenda-setting practices and create transparent processes to act on shared global challenges, Asia Times reported.
Recently, the Economic Advisory Council to the prime minister of India has released an occasional paper on challenges confronting the Group of Twenty (G20) and the need to craft effective policy solutions while taking into account the worries of the Global South or emerging countries. For instance, the paper stressed the importance of providing underdeveloped nations with more help so they may operationalise resilience measures and establish generous technology-sharing standards. Notably, the study urged for more global and bilateral investment for "build back broader" programmes by undertaking integrated infrastructure projects in order to assist the Global South in overcoming post-pandemic economic issues, as per Asia Times.
The Indian government has consistently worked to include a range of viewpoints in G20 discussions ever since it assumed the G20 presidency in December last year. For instance, a "Voice of Global South Summit" was convened in January to solicit input and include the perspectives of developing nations in the G20 agenda.
As of the last month, more than 12,300 participants from more than 110 different countries had already attended G20 meetings. As of now, India has hosted more than 105 sessions for the G20's engagement groups, ministerial meetings, and Sherpa tracks.
Numerous organisations in India are planning conferences, workshops, seminars, and other activities pertaining to the G20. Diverse societal sectors' active participation in these events reflects a rise in public interest in world politics.
With the growth of media and social media, even the general populace is beginning to recognise how global events affect them on a daily basis. For instance, it is now more commonly acknowledged that the conflict in Ukraine is responsible for the rise in energy costs, according to Asia Times.
As the Indian service sector becomes more integrated into the global economy, several Indian startups were adversely affected by the failure of Silicon Valley Bank in the US. The periodic shortcomings in financial regulation in rich nations and their repercussions for developing ones are hot topics in India.
People are leaving India in greater and greater numbers, both for business and leisure. The overall number of students who will be studying abroad in 2022 will rise by 68 per cent to 750,365.
The effects of international conflicts are instantly felt within the nation because of the substantial presence of Indian workers, students, and diaspora in other regions of the world.
As a result, the G20 agenda and event calendar are a response to the country's increased interest in international politics. G20 meetings are taking place all throughout India, be it Kerala in the deep south or Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast, Asia Times reported.
India is democratising its foreign participation, which should continue after the G20 Summit in September. State governments, think tanks, educational institutions, trade associations, labour unions, and cultural organisations are just a few of the entities striving to have an impact on India's international engagement right now.
The G20 summits are being actively utilised by many state governments to highlight the economic potential in their local regions. Similarly, the third G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting will take place in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, from May 22 to 24.
Hosting a G20 dialogue in Srinagar makes the most sense, given the tourism potential in Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, it shows that after years of terrorist attacks, the security situation in the state is returning to normal.
There are instances from India where more global economic engagement led to increased employment and fruitful political outcomes, as per Asia Times.
For instance, Telangana's employment opportunities in the software and related sectors have increased dramatically as a result of Hyderabad's rise as a software centre of international renown.
As a result, Naxalism, an armed communist guerrilla movement, lost some of its ideological appeal, improving the area's political climate.
Through increased international participation, it is anticipated that Jammu and Kashmir will also experience the emergence of a healthy economic environment. Therefore, the G20 summit in Srinagar may be a turning point for how the public views opportunities worldwide. Of course, a single international event won't bring about such a revolution, but it can serve as one of many significant nodes of change, according to Asia Times.
However, India faces numerous obstacles in its efforts to develop a diverse and transformational G20 agenda. The G20 presidency of India took place in a context of heightened political polarisation and global economic turbulence.
The Covid-19 outbreak and the turmoil in Ukraine have made the economic difficulties for the Global South worse. There is comparatively little attention paid to expanded assistance and upholding obligations made to the Global South; instead, the protracted conflict in Ukraine and big-power competition dominate the global conversation.
Prior to the G20 Summit in Delhi in September, the Global South should insist that the major economies demonstrate their commitment to a more just economic system by issuing a joint statement endorsing infrastructure and climate-resilient initiatives through generous, transparent, and fair funding mechanisms, Asia Times reported. (ANI)