Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa, stated that the Ukraine crisis was not on India’s priority list for outcomes from its G20 Presidency. Instead, he claimed, India is concentrating on finalising the “Leader’s Declaration” text on economic and development issues, leaving the “contentious” matters for later.
The third meeting of G20 sherpas at Karnataka’s world heritage site Hampi would focus on New Delhi’s goals, such as rapid economic growth and digital transformation, Kant said on Thursday.
Comments on Ukraine Crisis
Kant informed the media after the first of three sessions to draft the leaders’ declaration to be adopted at the G20 Summit that India’s priorities will comprise accelerated development and growth, financing climate transition, reforming multilateral financial institutions, and pushing for global adoption of the country’s digital public infrastructure (DPI).
Responding to a question about the Ukraine crisis, Kant stated:
“The Russia-Ukraine war is not our creation, it is not a creation of developing and emerging countries, it is not a priority for us...Our priority is not war, that’s not our priority at all. That may be a priority for somebody else [...] That is why we’ll discuss [Ukraine] right in the end and [...] whether we get a solution or not, that is nothing to reflect [on India].”
Kant further stated that negotiations on the Ukraine War are now taking place “bilaterally,” rather than in the full G-20 group.
Additionally, he said that the Indian side is attempting to “bring everybody together” to get an agreement on advancing PM Narendra Modi’s appeal for a G20 agenda that is inclusive, decisive, ambitious, and action-oriented.
India’s plan relies on several tenets that promote rapid, sustainable, and resilient growth “because one-third of the world is in recession,” he added.
Ukraine war not a priority of G-20 presidency, says G20 Sherpa Kant at meet in Hampi. Russia, China at odd with G-7 on draft text. Kant says development, African Union membership more important for India than consensus on Ukraine.
— Suhasini Haidar (@suhasinih) July 14, 2023
Reporting from Hampi https://t.co/XwIDjvDSKq
African Union Remains India’s Focus Area
Kant announced that India would pursue progress in other areas, such as PM Modi’s proposal to include the African Union (AU) as a member of the G20. He claims such a move will allow the group to cover 90% of the world’s population.
Additionally, Kant claimed, “We are looking at global growth, macro-economic policy, the role of the private sector, unlocking trade for growth, global value chains, building cities for tomorrow, preparing for the future of work [and] fostering global economic cooperation.”
The proposal to bring in the AU is one of the key changes in the “Revised Draft” text presented to the delegations on Thursday.
The 3rd #G20India Sherpa Meeting kicks off in Hampi with deliberations on the opening paragraphs of the draft Leaders' Declaration. The next 3 days will witness in-depth discussions on 🇮🇳's G20 priorities, with an aim to strengthen global cooperation to address key challenges. pic.twitter.com/rp15rtfBS6
— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) July 13, 2023
Priorities of G-20 Sherpas Meet
The sherpas will also discuss accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) progress, including a new seven-year action plan for achieving the SDGs by 2030, and law enforcement principles relating to international cooperation and information sharing to combat corruption.
Concerning DPI, Kant stated there is a “global vacuum” in defining such infrastructure and establishing a governance mechanism. DPI encompasses internet connection, digital identification, and digital payments, all of which serve as levels of public infrastructure upon which the private sector can capitalise.
The sherpas will additionally discuss India’s proposed green development pact for global, sustainable, and just transitions, including climate financing, safeguarding the ecosystem, catastrophe risk reduction, and building resilient infrastructure.
Kant declared that reforming multilateral financial institutions is crucial for ensuring the flow of funds into emerging markets. He said that the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living issue have caused a reversal in SDG implementation, with only 12% of the targets currently on track.