PM Modi writes Stepping up, Together

PM Modi writes Stepping up, Together

Context: This editorial covers excerpts from PM Narendra Modi’s article recently covered in The Indian Express on the occasion of marking 365 days since India assumed the G20 Presidency.

What were the ongoing challenges in the world when India took-up G20 Presidency?
• Recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic
• Looming climate threats
• Financial instability, and debt distress in developing nations
• Declining multilateralism.
• The PM noted that in the midst of conflicts and competition, development cooperation suffered, impeding progress.

What did India sought to change when it assumed G20 chair?
• 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.
• India wanted the reform of multilateralism.
• Inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive — these four words defined our approach as G20 president.

How inclusivity has been at the heart of our Presidency?
• The inclusion of the African Union (AU) as a permanent member of the G20 integrated 55 African nations into the forum, expanding it to encompass 80 per cent of the global population.
• The first-of-its-kind ‘Voice of the Global South Summit’, convened by India in two editions, heralded a new dawn for multilateralism.
• Inclusivity also infused India’s domestic approach to G20, making it a People’s Presidency that befits the world’s largest democracy.
• At the critical midpoint of the 2030 agenda, India delivered the G20 2023 Action Plan to Accelerate Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• 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.

What were our ambitious steps during the Summit?
• The G20 Declaration calls for an ambitious tripling of global renewable energy capacity by 2030.
• Additionally, with Global Biofuels Alliance and a concerted push for Green Hydrogen, the G20’s ambitions to build a cleaner, greener world.

Action oriented and Decisive Presidency:
vThe G20 acknowledged that developing countries require $5.9 trillion to fulfil their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 2030.
vGender equality took centre stage in the Declaration, culminating in the formation of a dedicated Working Group on the Empowerment of Women next year.
• Our presidency achieved 87 outcomes and 118 adopted documents, a marked rise from the past.

Conclusion
• The PM noted that India achieved the extraordinary: It revitalised multilateralism, amplified the voice of the Global South, championed development, and fought for the empowerment of women everywhere.