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India assumes the G20 presidency soon. Here’s how it can make a real difference

India will assume the rotating presidency of the G20 in December and its term will culminate with a summit in November-2023. It’s now become standard practice for the presiding country to set the agenda. Indonesia that currently holds the presidency is focussing on Global Health Architecture, Sustainable Energy Transition and Digital Transformation. Italy in 2021 focussed on People, Planet, Prosperity. What agenda should India drive?

India’s agenda should be guided by an overriding goal – of giving the poorer countries a greater say on issues that determine our collective destiny. For sure, G20, with a mix of rich countries and emerging economies, is a more inclusive platform than G7. Nevertheless, the outside world still gets the impression that its agenda and deliberations are shaped by rich country concerns and priorities.

G20 accounts for about two-thirds of the global population and 80% of global GDP. But with just 20 members, it excludes a large number of countries, especially poorer countries. India has historically had a grievance against global clubs it was denied entry to. Now that it’s got a seat at the table, it should make a conscious effort to speak for all of those poor countries. As G20’s poorest country, it is India’s moral responsibility; besides, such a reorientation of G20 leadership will pay rich political and economic dividends.

In order to speak for the poor world, India will have to reckon with two recent global developments.

● The first is that G20 failed to provide global leadership in the fight against the pandemic.