India's G20 Presidency themed on 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'
Ruchi Verma | Mumbai
The G20 events in Mumbai were kickstarted with a Press Conference addressed by India G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant on 12 December 2022 at the Jio Convention Center. The press briefing was held prior to the First Meeting of the G20 Development Working Group (DWG) under India’s G20 Presidency that will take place in Mumbai from 13 - 16 December 2022. G20 members, guest countries and invited international organizations will be attending the DWG meeting.
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| G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant chaired the First Sherpa Meeting of India’s G20 Presidency at Udaipur |
On 13 December 2022, the Indian Presidency will hold two side events: 'Data for Development: Role of G20 in advancing the 2030 Agenda' and 'Infusing new LiFE into Green Development', before the official meeting of the Working Group. The side event will be followed by a welcome dinner for the delegates at the Taj Mahal Palace. The delegates will also get a chance to partake in cultural events, a walk at the Gateway of India walk and an excursion to Kanheri Caves on the final day.
The theme of India’s G20 Presidency 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' which translates to 'One Earth, One Family, One Future' is closely tied with LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment). Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier said India's G20 Presidency will work to promote this universal sense of oneness, hence the theme 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'.
Earlier, the First G20 Sherpa Meeting under India’s G20 Presidency, chaired by G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, was held Udaipur, Rajasthan. The four-day gathering (04 - 07 December 2022) of the Sherpas of G20 Members, invited countries and international organisations set the stage for important conversations on some of the most pressing issues of the time. It set the tone and agenda for future meetings, during which, India will have the opportunity to convene discussions on shared global priorities with G20 members and guests, build consensus on a diverse range of global issues in various G20 Workstreams and bring the focus to key global priorities.
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| Press Conference at Jio Convention Center, Mumbai on 12 December 2022 |
A moment in history
India's G20 Presidency lies at a crucial midpoint of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015. Review of SDG progress and G20’s efforts towards achieving the SDG targets will be discussed at the DWG meeting.
In the context of Green Development, focus areas include climate finance and technology, as well as just energy transitions for developing countries. Understanding that the issue of climate change cuts across industry, society and sectors, the concept of LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), a behaviour-based movement that draws from our country’s rich, ancient and sustainable traditions, to nudge consumers, and in-turn markets, to adopt environmentally-conscious practices, will be deliberated upon.
LiFE ties closely with India’s G20 motto 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' and theme 'One Earth One Family One Future'. With the nation's human-centric approach to technology, tech-enabled development in sectors ranging from agriculture to education will also be discussed. Women empowerment and representation, including efforts to bring women to the fore, and in leading positions, in order to boost socio-economic development and achievement of SDGs, will be at the forefront as well.
Development Working Group
The DWG meetings aim to discuss developmental issues in Developing Countries (DCs), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Island Countries (Small Island Developing States/SIDs).
The DWG is a platform for G20 member countries to come together and prioritize multilateralism, share solutions that promote growth, remap development plans and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal’s targets (SDG). The G20 possesses the knowledge, expertise, financial resources required to reverse trajectories that have gone off track.
The DWG meetings held in the third G20 at Bali between August 10-12, 2022 concluded with the discussion and finalisation of key G20 agreements. These included G20 Roadmap for Stronger Recovery and Resilience in DCs, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and SIDs, the G20 principles to scale up Blended Finance in DCs, the G20 Ministerial Vision Statement: Multilateralism for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Decade of Action and the 2022 G20 Bali Update.
It was on 1 December 2022, a red-letter day, when India assumed the G20 Presidency from Indonesia. India will convene the G20 Leaders' Summit for the first time in 2023. India's G20 Presidency would be a watershed moment in her history as it seeks to play an important role by finding pragmatic global solutions for the well-being of all, and in doing so, manifest the true spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'.
Understanding G20
The Group of Twenty (G20) is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries, namely Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and the European Union. The G20 members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
Founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis, as a forum for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues, it was upgraded to the level of Heads of State / Governments in the wake of the global economic and financial crisis of 2007, and, in 2009, was designated the 'premier forum for international economic cooperation.'
The G20 Summit is held annually, under the leadership of a rotating Presidency.
How does the G20 work?
The G20 Presidency steers the G20 agenda for one year and hosts the Summit. The G20 consists of two parallel tracks: the Finance Track and the Sherpa Track. Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors lead the Finance Track, while Sherpas lead the Sherpa Track.
The Finance Track is led by Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the member countries. Within the two tracks, there are thematically oriented working groups in which representatives from the relevant ministries of the members as well as from invited/guest countries and various international organisations participate.
The G20 process from the Sherpa Track is coordinated by the Sherpas of member countries, who are personal emissaries of the Leaders. The Sherpa Track oversees inputs from 13 Working Groups, 2 Initiatives – Research Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) and G20 Empower, and various Engagement Groups, all of whom meet throughout the year and develop their Issue Notes and Outcome Documents in parallel. These substantive discussions then feed consensus-based recommendations to the Sherpa Meetings. The outcome document of the Sherpa-level meetings eventually forms the basis of the Leaders' Declaration, which will be debated and signed (after and if consensus is reached) at the final New Delhi Summit in September next year by the Leaders of all G20 member countries.
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| G20 member delegates and guests during Sherpa Meetings in Udaipur |
In addition, there are Engagement Groups which bring together civil societies, parliamentarians, think tanks, women, youth, labour, businesses and researchers of the G20 countries. The Startup20 Engagement Group will be established under India's G20 Presidency for the first time, recognising the role of startups in driving innovation that responds to a rapidly changing global scenario. Active consultation with the Engagement Groups forms an integral part of India's "inclusive ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented", G20 approach, as outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Bali Summit this year.
India’s G20 Presidency
India holds the Presidency of the G20 from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023. The 43 Heads of Delegations- the largest ever in G20-will be participating in the final New Delhi Summit in September next year.
The G20 Logo draws inspiration from the vibrant colours of India’s national flag – saffron, white and green, and blue. It juxtaposes planet Earth with the lotus, India’s national flower that reflects growth amid challenges. The Earth reflects India’s pro-planet approach to life, one in perfect harmony with nature. Below the G20 logo is “Bharat”, written in the Devanagari script.
The theme of India’s G20 Presidency - “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth · One Family · One Future” - is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad. Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life – human, animal, plant, and microorganisms – and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe. The theme also spotlights LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), with its associated, environmentally sustainable and responsible choices, both at the level of individual lifestyles as well as national development, leading to globally transformative actions resulting in a cleaner, greener and bluer future.
For India, the G20 Presidency also marks the beginning of “Amritkaal”, the 25-year period beginning from the 75th anniversary of its independence on 15 August 2022, leading up to the centenary of its independence, towards a futuristic, prosperous, inclusive and developed society, distinguished by a human-centric approach at its core.
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| For India, the G20 Presidency also marks the beginning of 'Amritkaal' |
A new working group on Disaster Risk Reduction will be established under India's Presidency to encourage collective work by the G20, undertake multi-disciplinary research and exchange best practices on disaster risk reduction.
India’s special invitee guest countries are Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and UAE.
G-20’s invited international organisations are UN, IMF, World Bank, WHO, WTO, ILO, FSB, OECD, AU Chair, NEPAD Chair, ASEAN Chair, ADB, ISA and CDRI.
G20 meetings will not be limited only to New Delhi or other metropolises. Drawing inspiration from its G20 Presidency theme of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'-"One Earth One Family One Future, as well as the Prime Minister's vision of an 'all of government" approach, India will host over 200 meetings in over 50 cities across 32 different workstreams, and would have the opportunity to offer G20 delegates and guests a glimpse of India's rich cultural heritage and provide them with a unique Indian experience. The Presidency is also a chance for the G20 Secretariat to provide the country's citizens with the unique opportunity be a part of India's G20 story.
The Indian G20 presidency has also planned a year-long India Experience' for G20 member countries, special invitees, and others.
What are India's G20 Priorities?
Green Development, Climate Finance & LiFE
The opportunity to lead G20 comes at a time of compounding existential threat, with the COVID-19 pandemic having exposed the fragilities of our systems under the cascading impacts of climate change. In this regard, climate change is a key priority for India’s presidential Presidency, with a particular focus towards not only climate finance and technology, but also ensuring just energy transitions for developing nations across the world.
Understanding that the issue of climate change cuts across industry, society, and sectors, India offers the world LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) -a behaviour-based movement that draws from our nation's rich, ancient sustainable traditions to nudge consumers, and in-turn markets, to adopt environmentally-conscious practices. This ties closely with India’s G20 theme: 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'One Earth. One Family. One Future.
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| Indian G20 presidency has planned year-long 'India Experience' for participants |
Accelerated, Inclusive & Resilient Growth
An accelerated, resilient and inclusive growth is a cornerstone for sustainable development. During its G20 Presidency, India aims to focus on areas that have the potential to bring structural transformation. This includes an ambition to accelerate integration of MSMEs in global trade, bring in the spirit of trade for growth, promote labour rights and secure labour welfare, address global skills gap, and build inclusive agricultural value chains and food systems etc.
Accelerating progress on SDGs
India's G20 Presidency collides with the crucial midpoint of the 2030 Agenda. As such, India acknowledges the detrimental impact of COVID-19, which changed the current decade of action into a decade of recovery. In line with this perspective, India wants to focus on recommitting G20's efforts to achieving the targets laid out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Technological Transformation & Digital Public Infrastructure
As G20 Presidency, India can foreground its belief in a human-centric approach to technology, and facilitate greater knowledge-sharing in priority areas like digital public infrastructure, financial inclusion, and tech-enabled development in sectors ranging from agriculture to education
Multilateral Institutions for the 21st century
India's G20 priority will be to continue pressing for reformed multilateralism that creates more accountable,inclusive just, equitable and representative multipolar international system that is fit for addressing the challenges in the 21st century.
Women-led Development
India hopes to use the G20 forum to highlight inclusive growth and development, with women empowerment and representation being at the core of India's G20 deliberations. This includes a focus on bringing women to the fore, and in leading positions, in order to boost socio-economic development and achievement of SDGs.
India kick-started its presidency term agenda with a series of cultural initiatives that included various Jan Bhagidari activities, a special University Connect event with 75 educational institutions from across the country, the lighting up of 100 ASI monuments with the G20 logo and colours, and showcasing G20 at the Hombill festival in Nagaland. Sand artist Shri Sudarshan Pattnaik also created sand art of India's G20 logo on Puri beach in Odisha. Various other events, youth activities, cultural performances, and site excursions showcasing the sights and traditions of respective city-venues, are also planned throughout the year-long calendar.
(Coordinated by Manu Shrivastava in Mumbai with inputs from Anushka Singh in Udaipur and Nandini Rao in Bengaluru)
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