Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
asserted Bharat achieved the extraordinary during its G20 Presidency as it
revitalised multilateralism, amplified the voice of the Global South,
championed development, and fought for the empowerment of women everywhere.
With Brazil set to take over the
presidency from December 1, PM Modi highlighted the elite group’s journey under
Bharat and expressed confidence that his country hands over the charge with the
conviction that our collective steps for people, planet, peace, and prosperity,
will resonate for years to come.
In an opinion piece which appeared in many
newspapers on Thursday, PM Modi said Bharat’s approach was defined by being “inclusive,
ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive” and the New Delhi Leaders’
Declaration (NDLD), unanimously adopted by all G20 members, is testimony to our
commitment to deliver on these principles.
Noting that it has been 365 days since Bharat
took the Chair, he said the global landscape grappled with multifaceted
challenges: recovery from the Covid pandemic, looming climate threats,
financial instability, and debt distress in developing nations, amid declining
multilateralism at that point of time.
“It is a moment to reflect, recommit,
and rejuvenate the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — One Earth, One Family, One
Future,” he said on the event of Bharat passing the baton to Brazil.
Recalling the time last year when Bharat
took over, he said amidst conflicts and competition, development cooperation
suffered, impeding progress, he said.
“Assuming the G20 chair, Bharat sought
to offer the world an alternative to the status quo, a shift from a GDP-centric
to human-centric progress. India aimed to remind the world of what unites us,
rather than what divides us,” he said.
Finally, he added, the global
conversation had to evolve and the interests of the few had to give way to the
aspirations of the many. This required a fundamental reform of multilateralism,
he said.
The first-of-its-kind ‘Voice of the
Global South Summit’, convened by Bharat in two editions, heralded a new dawn
for multilateralism, Modi said, asserting Bharat mainstreamed the Global South’s
concerns in the international discourse and has ushered in an era where
developing countries take their rightful place in shaping the global narrative.
Bharat’s domestic approach to G20 was
also marked by inclusivity, making it a “People’s Presidency” that befits the
world’s largest democracy, he said.
At the critical midpoint of the 2030
agenda, Bharat delivered the G20 2023 Action Plan to Accelerate Progress on the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), taking a cross-cutting, action-oriented
approach to interconnected issues, including health, education, gender equality
and environmental sustainability, he said.
A key area driving this progress is the
robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), PM Modi added.
He said, “Through the G20, we
successfully completed the Digital Public Infrastructure Repository, a
significant stride in global technological collaboration. This repository,
featuring over 50 DPIs from 16 countries, will help the Global South build,
adopt, and scale DPI to unlock the power of inclusive growth.” For our One
Earth, Bharat introduced ambitious and inclusive aims to create urgent,
lasting, and equitable change, he said.
The leaders’ declaration underscores our
commitment to climate justice and equity, urging substantial financial and
technological support from the Global North, he said, noting that for the first
time there was recognition of the quantum jump needed in the magnitude of
development financing, moving from billions to trillions of dollars.
The G20 acknowledged that developing
countries required USD 5.9 trillion to fulfil their Nationally Determined
Contributions (NDCs) by 2030, he said.
Given the monumental resources required,
the G20 emphasised the importance of better, larger, and more effective Multilateral
Development Banks, he noted.
“Concurrently, Bharat is taking a
leading role in UN reforms, especially in the restructuring of principal organs
like the UN Security Council, that will ensure a more equitable global order,” said
the PM.
Gender equality took centre stage,
culminating in the formation of a dedicated Working Group on the Empowerment of
Women next year, he said.
“Bharat’s Women’s Reservation Bill 2023,
reserving one-third of Bharat’s Parliament and state legislative assembly seats
for women, epitomises our commitment to women-led development,” he said.
During its G20 Presidency, Bharat led
deliberations on geopolitical issues and their impact on economic growth and
development, he said.
“Terrorism and the senseless killing of
civilians are unacceptable, and we must address them with a policy of zero
tolerance. We must embody humanitarianism over hostility and reiterate that
this is not an era of war,” he said.
PTI
