G20 LEADERSHIP: Key issues and challenges as India takes over

As India prepares to take on the presidency of the G20 from December, it will have to navigate crucial challenges such as persisting divisions among the world's most powerful economies over the war in Ukraine, and meeting the expectations of developing countries.

- Rezaul Laskar

The grouping of the world's 20 largest economies was able to paper over its differences on the Ukraine conflict by agreeing on a joint communiqué at the eleventh hour at the summit in Bali due to a concerted push by India and Indonesia, but the document itself pointed to the continuing divisions.

The Indian side has asserted its focus during its G20 presidency for 2023 will be on an inclusive and action-oriented agenda, and that it will work to bridge the digital divide and tackle the challenges of food and energy security in the aftermath of the Ukraine war. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi put it, India will make the G20 a "catalyst for global change" since the world is looking at the group with hope at a time when it is grappling with geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown and rising food and energy prices.

Here are the key challenges and issues India will have to confront in its G20 presidency.

Ukraine war

Foremost among the challenges for India will be the divisions over the Ukraine war, which resulted in almost all key meetings hosted by outgoing G20 president Indonesia ending without joint statements. Even the Leaders' Declaration issued on Wednesday acknowledged that most G20 members "strongly condemned the war in Ukraine" and stressed it is exacerbating fragilities in the global economy, while there "were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions".

With few signs of an early end to the conflict in Ukraine in sight, this will involve India continuing to walk a tightrope in view of its traditional close diplomatic and strategic ties with Russia and its rapidly growing partnerships with the US and key Western powers.