Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Start your answer by briefly describing about G-20.
• Discuss how G-20 presidency would portray India as a leader of global south.
• Conclude suitably.

Introduction

• The Group of 20 is a non-treaty-based organization of 19 countries and the EU that traces its origins to the Asian financial crisis of 1997-99, when the G7 convened a meeting of finance ministers of a select group of countries and central bank governors from around the world to find ways to arrest the meltdown threatening to engulf the world.
• The broad objective of this grouping was to shore up the world’s economic and financial stability.

Body

• The presidency of G-20 for the year 2023 will be taken up by India and the theme is “One Earth, One Family, One Future” coupled with official symbol of the lotus.
• India as a representative of Global South:
  • Recently, while presenting India’s statement at the United Nations General Assembly, External Affairs Minister remarked that the global South was the most impacted by the “sharp deterioration in the international landscape”.
  • Raise global issues which affects developing countries: As the voice of developing countries India will try to work with other G20 members to address serious issues of debt, of economic growth, terrorism, counterfeit currency food and energy security and particularly, of environment.
  • Leverage Digital Infrastructure: There is rise of digital divide in the developing world indicated with India’s presidency it could portray itself as a leader in transferring this technology to other countries, as it has the world class digital infrastructure that could be shared with the world.
  • Portray itself as global peacemaker: Further, the G20 presidency could provide an opportunity to India to assume the mantle of a peacemaker on various global issues like Russia-Ukraine war, rising tension in Indo-pacific etc.
    • At present, the United Nations lacks credibility, major powers like the US and the Europeans have taken sides in the proxy war in Ukraine, China remains a vicarious supporter of Russia. That leaves only India, which has taken a consistent and objective view of the developments while maintaining good relations with the belligerents and their supporters. India has the credibility to work behind the scenes for an end to the war in Ukraine.

Conclusion

With global supply chains in ruins and crisis of essential goods is brewing all over the world, India can leverage its position as a leader of global south with the focus on the issues like food security, digitization and healthcare etc.