New Delhi/Johanessburg, 22 November (H.S.): Affirming a collective commitment to global progress and prosperity, leaders of the world's largest economies convened in Johannesburg on Friday for the 20th G20 Leaders' Summit. Hosted for the first time on the African continent, the summit operates under the theme Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability, aiming to address pressing global challenges and foster inclusive development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arriving for the three-day summit, joined fellow leaders for the customary family photo before engaging in the summit's proceedings. Throughout the summit, PM Modi is slated to address all three key sessions, articulating India's perspective on inclusive growth, building a resilient world, and ensuring a just future for all.

Spotlight on Sideline Diplomacy

On the summit's margins, Prime Minister Modi engaged in a series of significant bilateral discussions. He held talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to review and strengthen cooperation. A meeting is also anticipated with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, aimed at rebuilding ties. These meetings underscore a proactive diplomatic outreach by India during the multilateral gathering.

Additionally, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in a leaders' meeting of the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) forum.

India's Priorities Reflected in Summit Agenda

India's influence, stemming from its own G20 presidency in 2023, was evident in the summit's agenda and priorities. Key outcomes championed by India, such as the transformative potential of digital public infrastructure, women-led development, and the role of traditional and complementary medicine, have been integrated into the discussions.

The summit's declaration has also reinforced the importance of disaster risk reduction, a priority initiated by India, and recognized the role of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

In a significant achievement on climate finance, the G20 acknowledged the need to scale up funding from billions to trillions of dollars to help developing nations implement their climate contributions, which are estimated to be between $5.8–$5.9 trillion for the pre-2030 period.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar