Prospects for a Joint G-20 Communiqué | 26 Jul 2023

Source: TH

Why in News?

The upcoming G-20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023 is facing obstacles in issuing a Joint Communiqué due to opposing stances from Russia and China concerning paragraphs related to the War in Ukraine.

• As the summit approaches, the Indian negotiators are striving hard to find common ground and ensure a resolution to the logjam.

What Is the Significance of a Joint Communiqué?

• The G-20 grouping, comprising the world's major economies, has traditionally managed to reach a consensus and issue a joint declaration at the end of each summit.
• A failure to do so in India being the Chair would be unprecedented and may raise questions about the sustainability of the G-20 in its current form.
• Previous summits, such as Brisbane in 2014 and Indonesia in 2022, faced challenges but eventually succeeded in producing a document.
• Despite challenges, the Sherpa track is set to begin draft negotiations for the "Delhi Declaration" from August 2023.
  • The Sherpas will attempt to address areas of differences, including U.S.-China tensions over debt sustainability and privacy issues over digital public infrastructure.
  • Regarding the Ukraine issue, officials may leave a "placeholder" reference to "geopolitical issues" until a more acceptable language is agreed upon.

What are the Various Perspectives on G-20 Documents?

• India’s Stance:
  • Maintains Bali Paragraphs:
    • Until now, India has continued to include the "Bali Paragraphs" (G 20 Leaders Declaration in Bali 2022 Summit) in its documents, citing the hard work invested in their formulation.
    • These paragraphs consist of references to UN resolutions "deploring" Russia's war in Ukraine, and statements that "most members" strongly condemn the conflict.
    • The use of Indian Prime Minister's phrase, "This era is not of war," is also deemed universal and unrelated to any specific country or conflict.
  • For Economic Issues Not Security Issues:
    • The G-20 is not a forum for security issues, but for economic issues arising from security concerns, like the impact of the Ukraine war on fuel, food and fertilizer prices, is unimpeachable.
  • Developing Countries not Responsible for Ukraine Conflict:
    • India maintains that the Ukraine conflict is not its priority at the G-20 and that developing countries should not be held responsible for the issue.
    • Instead, India wishes to focus on priorities like the induction of the African Union into the G-20, Digital Public Infrastructure, gender-led empowerment, and reform of multilateral development banks.
• Russia and China’s Opposition:
  • Russia and China oppose the language on Ukraine, with Russia arguing that the Bali statements no longer reflect the current situation as it does not include increased U.S. and European military support to Ukraine, or the increased sanctions against Russia that followed and omit relevant developments.
  • China contends that the G-20 should not discuss "geopolitical issues" as it has focused primarily on economic matters in the past two decades.

Way Forward

• India is seeking suggestions from other G-20 countries, including Indonesia and Brazil, to find common ground on the Ukraine conflict.
• The role of leaders, particularly the Indian Prime Minister, will be crucial in resolving the impasse.
• Diplomatic efforts during the BRICS Summit in South Africa in 2023 may also influence the situation.