G20 Summit in India – Exploring Pros & Cons

India hosted the 18th G20 summit in New Delhi on 9-10 September 2023, marking the first time that the country hosted the gathering of the world's 20 major economies. The summit was held at the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition-Convention Centre, a newly constructed venue that reflects India's cultural heritage and modern aspirations. The theme of the summit was "Towards an Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Recovery". India, as the G20 president, focused on four priority areas: health and well-being, economic recovery and resilience, climate action and environment, and digital transformation and innovation.

Some of the key outcomes and highlights of the summit are:

1. The G20 leaders endorsed the New Delhi Declaration, a document that outlines their collective vision and commitments for addressing the global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, inequality, terrorism, and cyber threats.
2. The G20 leaders also adopted several action plans and initiatives to support their declaration, such as the G20 Framework for Equitable Global Access to COVID-19 Tools (FACT), the G20 Action Plan on Climate Change and Energy Transitions, the G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment, and the G20 Digital Economy Roadmap.
3. The G20 leaders reaffirmed their support for multilateralism, international cooperation, and reform of global institutions, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Financial Stability Board (FSB).
4. The G20 leaders welcomed the progress made by the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) in reaching a historic agreement on a two-pillar solution to address the tax challenges arising from the digitalization of the economy. They also endorsed the key components of the solution and called for its swift implementation.
5. The G20 leaders expressed their solidarity with Afghanistan and its people and urged the international community to provide humanitarian assistance and support inclusive political dialogue in the country. They also condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and called for enhanced cooperation to prevent and counter it.
6. The G20 leaders acknowledged India's role as a bridge-builder between developed and developing countries and appreciated its efforts to promote inclusive, resilient and sustainable development in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
7. The G20 leaders also engaged in bilateral and multilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit to discuss various regional and global issues of mutual interest. Some of these meetings included the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Leaders' Meeting, the Quad (Australia, India, Japan, United States) Leaders' Summit, the EU-China Leaders' Meeting, and the US-Russia Leaders' Meeting.

Joint declaration of G20 summit –Crux  

One of the achievements of the summit was the adoption of the New Delhi Leaders' Summit Declaration, which reflected the consensus of all G20 members on 83 paragraphs covering five key areas: strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth; accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals; green development pact for a sustainable future; multilateral institutions for the 21st century; and reinvigorating multilateralism.

The declaration was not easy to achieve, as there were significant differences and divergences among the G20 members on some of the topics, especially the ongoing war in Ukraine. The European countries wanted to use strong language to condemn Russia's invasion and aggression, while Russia and China opposed any reference to the war. India, as the host and president of the G20, played a crucial role in bridging the gaps and facilitating a compromise among the parties.

The declaration acknowledged the "different views and assessments" by member states on the conflict, and reaffirmed the principles of international law, including territorial sovereignty and political independence. It also stated that "all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible."

The declaration also highlighted India's leadership in promoting the voice of the global south and developing countries, as well as its initiatives on green development, digital cooperation, health security, women empowerment, and anti-corruption. The declaration welcomed the membership of the African Union into the G20, as well as India's proposal to host a special summit on Africa in 2024.

What G20 summit in India was unable to achieve?

Two key invitees, China's President Xi Jinping and Russia's President Vladimir Putin, did not attend the summit in person, citing health and security reasons. This was taken negative as both leaders represent major powers on world stage.

The summit was held at the newly built Bharat Mandapam, a grand convention center that reflects India's cultural and architectural heritage. The venue was adorned with Modi's portraits and banners, showcasing his vision of a self-reliant and inclusive India. The summit's theme was "Resilient and Sustainable Recovery for a Better World", and the agenda included topics such as global health, economic recovery, digital transformation, climate action, gender equality, and terrorism.

India had high hopes of projecting itself as a global leader and a voice of the developing world at the summit. Modi had also hoped to use the summit as an opportunity to boost his domestic popularity ahead of the 2024 general elections. However, the summit did not produce any major breakthroughs or commitments from the G20 leaders. The final declaration was a watered-down document that reiterated previous pledges and avoided contentious issues.

One of the main challenges for India was to balance its relations with the US and its allies on one hand, and China and Russia on the other. India has been engaged in a tense border standoff with China since 2020, and has also faced pressure from the US to join its efforts to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region. India has also been wary of Russia's growing ties with China and Pakistan, its arch-rival. However, India has also tried to maintain its strategic autonomy and avoid taking sides in the emerging Cold War between the US and China.

The absence of Xi and Putin from the summit was a setback for Modi's diplomatic outreach. Modi had hoped to hold bilateral meetings with both leaders to resolve outstanding issues and enhance cooperation. However, both leaders opted to join the summit virtually, limiting the scope and impact of their interactions. Modi also had to deal with the criticism from some of his domestic opponents and civil society groups, who accused him of ignoring India's diversity and democracy in his attempt to showcase his personal brand.

The summit also failed to address some of the most pressing global challenges, such as ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, providing debt relief for poor countries, reforming multilateral institutions, and taking concrete actions to limit global warming. The G20 leaders expressed their solidarity and support for these causes, but did not announce any new initiatives or targets. The summit also did not address some of the regional conflicts and crises, such as Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Yemen, and Palestine.

Conclusion

The G20 summit in India was unable to achieve much beyond symbolism and rhetoric. It exposed the limitations of India's global leadership and the divisions within the G20. It also highlighted the need for more effective and inclusive multilateralism to tackle the common challenges facing humanity.