INDIA'S G20 PRESIDENCY A MAJOR MILESTONE
India’s G20 presidency is the culmination of a year of milestones. The country has become the fourth to land on the moon, surpassed China as the world’s most populous country and overtaken the UK as the world’s fifth-largest economy. In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a red carpet welcome in Washington, DC. India’s G20 presidency can be regarded as a historic moment, announcing its confirmation as a major global power.
But the summit will also illustrate the many challenges India faces in realizing its commitment to ‘strategic autonomy’ in its foreign policy.
#G20India
#G20presidency
#importanceofG20
#whatg20meansforindia
~HT.178~PR.154~PR.151~ED.194~
India’s G20 presidency is the culmination of a year of milestones. The country has become the fourth to land on the moon, surpassed China as the world’s most populous country and overtaken the UK as the world’s fifth-largest economy. In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a red carpet welcome in Washington, DC. India’s G20 presidency can be regarded as a historic moment, announcing its confirmation as a major global power.
But the summit will also illustrate the many challenges India faces in realizing its commitment to ‘strategic autonomy’ in its foreign policy.
#G20India
#G20presidency
#importanceofG20
#whatg20meansforindia
~HT.178~PR.154~PR.151~ED.194~
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NewsTranscript
00:00 India's G20 presidency is the culmination of a year of milestones.
00:11 The country has become the fourth to land on the moon, surpassed China as the world's
00:16 most populous country and overtaken the UK as the world's fifth largest economy.
00:21 In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a red carpet welcome in Washington DC.
00:26 India's G20 presidency can be regarded as a historic moment, announcing its confirmation
00:31 as a major global power.
00:33 But the summit will also illustrate the many challenges India faces in realizing its commitment
00:38 to strategic autonomy in its foreign policy.
00:41 New Delhi has attempted to use the G20 to draw attention to domestic policy priorities
00:45 where it has made or is trying to make strides.
00:49 At this year's G20, India has promoted several climate policy initiatives like Mission Life,
00:55 which advocates the concept of a circular economy and green hydrogen standards.
01:12 India is also calling for reforms to multilateral development banks to facilitate green financing.
01:18 Similarly, New Delhi is seeking to leverage progress in the development of India's digital
01:22 welfare state.
01:23 It is using initiatives such as the Aadhaar card and United Payments Interface to create
01:29 a multilateral funding body at the G20 to facilitate digital public infrastructure or
01:34 DPI.
01:35 New Delhi hosted 125 countries earlier this year as part of its Voice of Global South
01:40 summit and advocated full G20 membership for the African Union.
01:45 Nine guest countries have also been invited to the summit, including emerging economies
01:49 like Egypt and Nigeria, and countries in India's neighborhood, including Bangladesh and Mauritius.
01:55 Many governments in the Global South remember the West's tepid response to the pandemic.
02:00 They also resent its preoccupation with the war in Ukraine.
02:04 This opens up a position for India to advocate the issues of the Global South on the world
02:08 stage.
02:09 However, India's G20 presidency can also be seen as a microcosm of the broader challenges
02:15 facing the country's foreign policy.
02:17 India's G20 presidency comes at a time when there is a breakdown in relations between
02:21 major powers, including Russia and the West, and growing cracks in the US-China relationship.
02:27 Chinese President Xi Jinping's decision not to attend cannot be ignored.
02:31 On the other hand, the Russia-Ukraine situation is a tricky affair diplomatically at the summit.
02:37 Ukrainian President Zelensky was not invited to the summit, even though it was said that
02:41 this was so the G20 could focus on economic issues.
02:45 New Delhi's push for an expanded role for the Global South also faces geopolitical hurdles.
02:51 India is trying to ask for a more equitable distribution of power in the international
02:55 system, but it also does not want to appear anti-West.
02:59 In the current polarized atmosphere, India's inclusive and non-confrontational agenda embedded
03:05 in India's G20 theme of Vasudeva Kutumbakam is being challenged.
03:09 It puts India at risk of becoming isolated from anti-West nations.
03:14 This is going to be especially difficult considering India holds presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation
03:18 Organization and even the BRICS, which has increased members.
03:24 Both organizations will now have three anti-West members - Russia, China and Iran.
03:30 How India will deal with the challenges ahead will be a test of its foreign policy.
03:35 India is entering a period of strategic opportunity, or what Modi has referred to as Amrit Kaal.
03:41 The country is projected to be the fastest-growing economy this year, while China's growth slows.
03:46 India also stands to benefit from US-China rivalry as countries seek to build supply
03:51 chains outside China.
03:53 India's DPI and climate agendas are also significant.
03:57 But can these initiatives have an immediate impact?
04:00 New Delhi firmly believes that its time has come.
04:03 Like China, India has abandoned any notion of biding time or maintaining a low profile
04:08 under the Modi government.
04:10 Domestically, the summit will undoubtedly improve the Modi government's standing with
04:13 voters.
04:15 India notably deferred its G20 presidency, bringing it closer to 2024's general election.
04:21 In hosting over 200 G20 events across every Indian state and union territory, New Delhi
04:26 has made sure that the impact of its presidencies felt across the country.
04:31 The G20 leaders' summit will help India to boost its image on the world stage and
04:35 help Prime Minister Narendra Modi seek a third term in next year's national elections.
04:40 More than four dozen heads of states, including US President Joe Biden and leaders of international
04:45 organisations, have gathered in New Delhi to deliberate on global issues.
04:49 The capital has dazzled delegates with displays of vibrant colours and lights.
04:53 Roads have been cleaned, trees and plants manicured, public places painted to send a
04:58 message of prosperity and development.
05:00 The promotional Blitzkrieg might seem over-the-top, but the PM has justified the extravagant pageantry
05:05 by saying that it is the moment for the world to experience the diversity of the country,
05:10 which has a population of 1.4 billion.
05:12 PM Modi said, "It is one thing to hear about India's demography, democracy, diversity
05:16 and development from someone else.
05:18 It is totally different to experience them first-hand.
05:21 I am sure our G20 delegates would vouch for this."
05:24 (Applause)
05:26 (applause)
05:28 (applause)