India achieved the extraordinary in its G20 leadership, says PM Modi

November 30, 2023, marked 365 days since India assumed the G20 Presidency. Talking about the feat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “I am delighted that during our Presidency, India achieved the extraordinary.”

PM Modi said, under its G20 Presidency, India “revitalised multilateralism, amplified the voice of the Global South, championed development, and fought for the empowerment of women everywhere.”

India sought to offer the world an alternative to the status quo

The Prime Minister said as India assumed G20 Presidency in 2022, the global landscape grappled with a host of challenges including recovery from COVID-19, looming climate threats, financial instability, the debt distress in developing nations – all amid declining multilateralism.

“Assuming the G20 chair, India sought to offer the world an alternative to the status quo, a shift from a GDP-centric to human-centric progress,” PM Modi said.

“India aimed to remind the world of what unites us, rather than what divides us. Finally, the global conversation had to evolve — the interests of the few had to give way to the aspirations of the many. This required a fundamental reform of multilateralism as we knew it,” the Prime Minister said.

Four words defined India’s approach as G20 president

Prime Minister Modi said, four words – inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive – defined India’s approach as G20 president.

He further said the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration (NDLD), unanimously adopted by all G20 members, “is testimony to our commitment to deliver on these principles.”

Inclusivity at the heart of India’s G20 presidency

PM Modi said, “inclusivity has been at the heart of our presidency.”

“The inclusion of the African Union (AU) as a permanent member of the G20 integrated 55 African nations into the forum, expanding it to encompass 80 per cent of the global population. This proactive stance has fostered a more comprehensive dialogue on global challenges and opportunities,” the Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister said gender equality took centre stage in the NDLD, culminating in the formation of a dedicated Working Group on the Empowerment of Women next year.

“India’s Women’s Reservation Bill 2023, reserving one-third of India’s Parliament and state legislative assembly seats for women, epitomises our commitment to women-led development,” he said.

PM Modi said inclusivity infused India’s domestic approach to G20, making it a People’s Presidency that befits the world’s largest democracy.

“Through “Jan Bhagidari” (people’s participation) events, the G20 reached 1.4 billion citizens, involving all states and Union Territories (UTs) as partners. And on substantive elements, India ensured that international attention was directed to broader developmental aims, aligning with the G20’s mandate,” he said.

The Prime Minister also said during India’s G20 presidency, India led deliberations on geopolitical issues and their impact on economic growth and development. “Terrorism and the senseless killing of civilians are unacceptable, and we must address them with a policy of zero tolerance. We must embody humanitarianism over hostility and reiterate that this is not an era of war,” he said.

Read PM Modi’s complete piece on India’s G20 Presidency here.

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Umang Sharma