With an inclusive, ambitious, decisive and action-oriented approach, India under PM Modi builds consensus with world leaders and sets the agenda for the next meeting in Brazil in 2024
Our Bureau
New Delhi
In a historic and pathbreaking event, the G20 member states on Saturday adopted a 100 per cent consensus-based New Delhi Leaders’ Summit Declaration, announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On this massive breakthrough, the world leaders expressed their happiness.
World Bank President Ajay Banga commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 100 per cent consensus and said, “I think that they have done an excellent job, they brought a successful declaration. I think the PM has done a great job on it. I think the G20 has come together on a number of topics.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the G20 summit declaration agreed on Saturday demonstrated a clear position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by saying that the territorial integrity of countries cannot be called into question with violence. “It is a statement which supports the territorial and sovereign integrity of Ukraine,” Scholz said, speaking from the summit venue in New Delhi.
This came after the Prime Minister announced that the consensus had been achieved on the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration and announced its adoption. PM Modi announced, “I have received good news. Due to the hard work of our team, consensus has been built on New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration. My proposal is to adopt this leadership declaration. I announce to adopt this declaration. On this occasion, I congratulate my Sherpa, ministers, who worked hard for it and made it possible…”
Soon after the announcement, G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant congratulated India and said on his social media account X, “Historical and Path breaking #G20 Declaration with 100 per cent consensus on all developmental and geo-political issues. The new geopolitical paras are a powerful call for Planet, People, Peace and Prosperity in today’s world. Demonstrates PM @narendramodi leadership in today’s world.”
India’s G20 Presidency has been inclusive, ambitious, decisive, action-oriented and unafraid to challenge the status quo. Under PM Modi, India has given a strong call to action for the leaders to take G20 to the last mile. Even at the press conference, the G20 Sherpa said that all 83 paras in the declaration have been unanimously supported with 100 per cent consensus.
Amitabh Kant on Saturday said that the G20 Leaders Declaration under Indian presidency has no footnote or Chair’s Summary and it demonstrates India’s ability to bring every G20 member to the same table. “On the Russia-Ukraine crisis, India worked very closely with Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia. I want to say that it was the emerging markets that played a very key role. There were very tough, ruthless negotiations that went on. I feel that in the end the issue was clinched because of the leadership of the Prime Minister, eventually we had to say that the leader wants it and this has to be delivered,” Kant said.
“All countries have unanimously supported the New Delhi Leaders Declaration. This is one declaration without a single footnote and without any Chairs Summary. This is a complete statement with 100 per cent unanimity,” Kant said.
In a related development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the New Delhi Declaration at the G20 Summit is about the awakening of the Global South which is “no longer willing” to be lectured about Russia complying with “Zelenskyy formula”. Addressing a press conference after the conclusion of the G20 Summit here, Lavrov said that the declaration is about the consolidation of the Global South that is willing to work to achieve its goals.
He further said that the main content of the declaration is all about the awakening of the Global South and one should not isolate the paragraph on Russia-Ukraine war.
In fact, the G20 Summit successfully culminated with multiple bilateral meetings held with world leaders and the announcement of various initiatives to pave the path for enhanced relations among the G20 countries as well as the European Union and the newly added African Union.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday highlighted that the New Delhi Declaration showed that our Presidency was able to take ideas, shape global issues, bridge divides and forge consensus.
He further stressed that the focus was on the Global South. “We kept the focus on Global South. We showcased our civilizational heritage even as we highlighted contemporary achievements.”
Jaishankar emphasizing the five key outcomes of the G20 Summit held in New Delhi on September 9-10. First, noting the Green Development Pact, the EAM said the declaration “envisages a green development pact for a sustainable future, it endorses high-level principles on lifestyle for sustainable development, voluntary principles of hydrogen, the Chennai principles for a sustainable resilient blue economy and the Deccan principles on food security and nutrition among others…”
Second was the Action Plan on Sustainable Development Goals. Jaishankar on Saturday said the New Delhi Declaration adopted by G20 leaders focuses on promoting strong sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth and seeks to accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Jaishankar in his tweet stated the third key outcome, High-level principles on anti-corruption. The G20 Declaration noted that the world leaders reaffirmed the commitment to zero tolerance for corruption.
Jaishankar said the fourth key outcome was support for Digital Public Infrastructure. On this, G20 Chief Coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Saturday said there will be a strong emphasis on technology, linked to digital public infrastructure during the G20 India’s presidency.
Last but not least, the fifth key outcome was the reform of Multilateral Development Banks. Addressing a joint press conference after the G20 Declaration was adopted, Sitharaman on Saturday talked about the key achievements of the Indian Presidency in the finance track on Multilateral Development Banks.
The minister said that the Capital Adequacy Frameworks (CAF) recommendations are focused on enabling MDBs to use the existing resources effectively.
Jaishankar further praised the African Union’s inclusion in the G20 membership and called it a major achievement. “The G20 membership of the African Union was a major achievement,” he tweeted. In his opening remarks at the 18th G20 Leaders’ Summit on Saturday, PM Modi invited the African Union, represented by Assoumani, to take a seat at the table of G20 leaders as a permanent member.
The African Union chairperson expressed his gratitude to the G20 member countries for the historic inclusion of the bloc in the G20 family.
Opening up on the moment when Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged him after formally inducting the African Union into the G20 family, the AU Chairperson said it was an emotional one for him. “I was about to cry. It was a great emotion for me. Because actually, we thought that there was going to be a debate and then a decision would be taken but at the very beginning of the Summit it was announced that we were a member,” he said.
On Sunday, Modi held a bilateral meeting with Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. “Excellent meeting with President @LulaOficial. Ties between India and Brazil are very strong. We talked about ways to boost trade and cooperation in agriculture, technology and more. I also conveyed my best wishes for Brazil’s upcoming G20 Presidency,” PM Modi wrote on ‘X’ formerly Twitter on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Modi expressed “unwavering faith” in Brazil for leading the Group of Twenty (G20) presidency with dedication, and vision and has also assured “all possible cooperation” to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
India has passed the ceremonial gavel of the G20 presidency to Brazil on Sunday. “I congratulate Brazilian President and my friend Lula da Silva and hand over the gavel of Presidency,” Modi said minutes before the New Delhi G20 Summit concluded.
“Earlier Lula da Silva handed over saplings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of Session 3 of the G20 Summit.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday thanked India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts in conducting the G20 Summit and set forth three priorities under his country’s presidency of the grouping. These, the Brazil President said include social inclusion and the fight against hunger, energy transition and sustainable development and reform of global governance institutions.
At the closing session of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said, “All these priorities are part of the Brazilian presidency motto which says ‘Building a fair world and a sustainable planet’. Two task forces will be created – Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and the Global Mobilization against Climate Change.”
His remarks came after PM Modi handed over the ceremonial gavel of the Group of 20 presidency to him. The Brazilian President said that the world needs to redouble its efforts to achieve the goal of ending world hunger by 2030.
Over to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the next summit in November 2024.
