G-20 Presidency Will Be India’s Test As “Vishwaguru”

The New Year has ushered in new hopes as India continues to rise on the global stage. We are going to leave China behind this year to become the most populous nation on earth. India’s stand on vital issues like climate change, green energy, technology, health, and the global economy will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping humankind’s future. The country’s ascendency to the G-20 chair will only enhance this role.

The G-20 presidency is an opportunity for India to showcase its diversity as the world’s largest democracy. It is also a chance for the leading global economies to walk in tandem with the country’s marching feet on the path of progress in fields like science and technology, space, innovation and start-ups. Even more important is going to be the positive image as the ‘Vishwa guru’, the leading light of the world that this stint at the G-20’s helm of affairs brings with it.

PM Narendra Modi has started this stint on the right footing by declaring India’s vision of its presidency as “vasudhev kutumbkam (The world is one family).” He has committed the country to strive towards finding solutions to many problems afflicting our “One Earth”, and promoting harmony among “One Family” that humanity is to lend a new hope to our “One Future.” India has clearly stated its vision for its tenure as the G-20 chair. It emphasizes peace and security to enable future generations to benefit from economic progress and innovation.

India will look to bring G-20 nations together to work towards a peaceful future for the “One World.” Its efforts will carry even more weight for global bodies, diplomats, and think tanks considering it is among the few islands of economic stability in these volatile times.

The country enjoys this sweet spot at a time when the world was never so connected and yet globalization seems to be losing steam. The energy crisis and flaring inflation have forced nations to look inwards. China is at loggerheads with most of the post-pandemic developed world. The ongoing Ukraine conflict is testing the mettle of the existing world order. Therefore, India’s task of bringing competing powers to a common platform is cut out during the year. The hegemony shown by the developed world to safeguard its economic interests after the pandemic has added to the vulnerability of the Global South. The credibility of the current global system was never so low.

India will be a beacon of hope for many countries outside the G-20 grouping in this context. The sentiment was evident during the recently concluded Voice of Global South Summit. Notwithstanding that the summit was not directly related to the G-20, its conclusions will still help shape India’s agenda as its president. Lending an ear to 120 countries that are not G-20 members shows PM Modi’s vision of inclusive growth at the global level. His belief in the world is one family was also evident in his wise counsel to Russian President Vladimir Putin last year that this is not an era of war.

The Prime Minister’s global vision also manifested during the recent NRI summit in Indore, which he termed as an opportunity for India to showcase its achievements to the world. He called upon the foreign participants of Indian origin to benefit from the country’s experiences in building a better future for their native countries. The non-resident Indians are valuable partners in progress and the country’s goodwill ambassadors to the world.

India’s rising stature means its responsibility to ensure a stable and prosperous world will only increase in the near future. The idea of one global family is the foundation of a peaceful future. It is also a cornerstone for hope and amity in a fragmented world and this is the reason it will be the driving motivation for India’s leadership of G-20 nations.

The G-20 group represents nearly 65 percent of the global population, 79 percent of the global trade, and almost 85 percent of the total world economy. It is also significant because all permanent UN members, all G-7 countries as well as all BRICS nations are its part. It is for this reason that India’s leadership is a historic moment for the group. It is the most relevant forum for India to bring about a positive change to the world by guiding it decisively to the path of progress. The global fraternity is confident New Delhi’s record of global reconciliation will prove an asset to promote the G-20 agenda.