Gul.i.Ayesha Bhatti
The 18th summit of the Group of Twenty (G20) concluded on Sunday, September 10th in New Delhi. The summit’s main focus was to prioritize inclusive development, address climate change, and find solutions for issues impacting the global South.
The summit’s declaration reflected a consensus, particularly with regards to Ukraine, which received praise from Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Despite the absence of Chinese President, Xi Jinping, and Russian President, Vladimir Putin, their positions were filled by the Chinese Prime Minister and Russian Foreign Minister. The summit was attended by numerous world leaders, including the U.S President. The 2023 presidency of both SCO and G20 in New Delhi marks a pivotal moment for Indian diplomacy, offering a prime opportunity for India to showcase itself as a representative of the global South.
To maintain and expand its influence in international relations, however, India must strive to avoid internal political divisions, particularly in communal politics. The upcoming G20 summit, themed “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” aims to promote unity in diversity, address global issues, and encourage international cooperation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s innovative ideas were lauded during the summit, including inviting the African Union (AU) to join the G20 and signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and the European Union to establish a trade and communication corridor connecting India and Europe via the Middle East.
The European-Middle Eastern and Indian corridor is a proposed plan that offers an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Its aim is to provide economic and technological benefits to India, the Middle East, and Europe. The African Union’s recent inclusion in the G20’s membership has increased it to 21 nations, and with the addition of the EU’s 27 member states and the AU’s 55 members, the G20 will soon encompass roughly 100 nations.
Brazil will take over the G20 presidency from India in December, ensuring continued leadership by the global South. While non-G20 countries such as Bangladesh, Comoros, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain, and UAE were invited to attend the Summit, India’s neighbor and the world’s fifth most populous state was not in attendance.
According to a report from the Christian Science Monitor, the 2023 summit will commemorate India’s remarkable achievement in emerging as a global leader and promoting the interests of non-G20 nations. India organized the Voice of the Global South Summit in January of this year.
This two-day virtual conference provided developing countries a platform to articulate their perspectives on economic expansion, development objectives, and their aspirations for India’s presidency as the G20’s head. As we analyze the recent G20 Summit, it’s crucial to take into account three essential elements. Firstly, the African Union, which consists of 55 member states and is the world’s largest regional organization, was welcomed into the group’s expanded membership.
This results in the G20 representing around 100 nations, which account for 85 percent of the globe’s population and economy. With North and South countries represented, the G20 faces the challenge of enhancing its performance. However, the Delhi Summit faced obstacles in agreeing on critical issues such as the climate crisis and Ukraine. India utilized its persuasive skills to create the impression of a unified voice in the Delhi Declaration.
At one point, the French president threatened not to sign any G20 declaration unless Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was condemned. However, he had to accept a compromise formula regarding Ukraine, in which members pledged to safeguard the territorial integrity of a state and follow a non-intervention policy.
The decision to exclude Russia from the Delhi declaration regarding Ukraine was appreciated by the Russian foreign minister, but criticized by Kiev. The BRICS aimed to create an alternative to the US-dominated world order, while the G20 summit aimed to address the concerns of developing nations through compromise. The Indian Prime Minister and other world leaders, including Brazil’s President who will lead the group from December, deserve credit for ensuring that the G20 summit remained conflict-free. Their message was straightforward: the G20 will work towards improving humanity and will not be a divisive organization. Secondly, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, a massive project characterized as a modern “Spice Route” designed to connect India to Europe via the Arabian Peninsula, was also an important announcement.
The project is viewed as a competitor to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which entails transcontinental transportation, energy, and data links. Joe Biden referred to it as a “real big deal”. Even though a few voices have questioned the economic viability of the proposed route, its geopolitical significance cannot be refuted. The corridor will have regional and international consequences. According to the majority of experts, it is an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and, therefore, a significant success for the US and India. Nevertheless, given the complexity of the new international geopolitics, it cannot be ruled out that the new economic corridor will converge with the BRI rather than supplant it. Currently, it appears that India has been able to keep both Russia and the United States satisfied, while also limiting China’s influence. The process has minimized the significance of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s decision not to attend the meeting.
Thirdly, the G-20 summit has further strengthened India’s credibility in global affairs. In contrast, Pakistan’s non-participation in the event was not unexpected, given its absence from the list of non-G20 nations invited. Earlier this year, India voiced strong opposition to Pakistan’s participation in BRICS.
Additionally, virtual meetings of SCO leaders have seemingly been utilized as a means for India to distance Pakistan from international events. India’s current efforts to isolate Pakistan from significant international events are noteworthy. However, Pakistan’s undeniable significance cannot be disregarded, as it holds a crucial geostrategic location in the region and ranks among the world’s most populous countries.
Pakistani decision-makers must reflect on why Pakistan remains marginalized and isolated in the global arena. While Pakistan’s frail economic, political, and social circumstances may impede its ability to counter India’s strategy, we must not overlook our foreign policy shortcomings. The writer is a PhD scholar International Relations, can be reached at : guleayeshabhatti@gmail.com
