PM Modi’s stature and standing of excellence resulted in grand success of G20: Amitabh Kant

The grand success of G20 India Leaders’ Summit, with 100% consensus from all countries on all issues, has been possible only because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “stature and standing of excellence” at the global stage, India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant said Monday.

Marking a new era in global cooperation, the G20 Summit concluded in New Delhi on Sunday as PM Modi handed over the gavel to the Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the next holder of the G20 Presidency.

India’s message of ‘one earth, one family, one future’, drawn on an age-old belief of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, was delivered strongly during the three sessions of the Summit devoted to each aspect of the theme.

Not just the 20 member states, nine invitee nations, and 14 international organisations but the entire world was hooked on the massive event held at Bharat Mandapam over the weekend.

The Indian G20 presidency has also been hailed as “exceptional” because New Delhi has ensured that people of Global South are no longer excluded from the fruits of development.

The momentous occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the African Union – a grouping made up of 55 Member States representing all the countries on the African continent – as the new permanent member of G20 and inviting Comorian President and African Union Chairperson Azali Assoumani to take his seat at the high table, will forever be etched in history.

“I would like to remind everyone that during the Bali Summit, at the end of the Summit, the then President of the African Union, President Macky Sall of Senegal, approached the Prime Minister and the President of Indonesia. He had a grievance that the right of African Union of G20 membership had not been discussed at all,” said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar later.

“At that time, Prime Minister has assured him that he will do it during India’s presidency. I remember, he said that it’s Modi’s guarantee and you saw it today that this guarantee has been delivered. And some days ago, when we were in BRICS Summit, President Macky Sall came to Prime Minister and said that he remembers what Prime Minister had promised and he praised Prime Minister for his efforts towards it,” he revealed further.

History was then created with the adoption of the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration which was in Prime Minister Modi’s words is truly “united in consensus and spirit”.

India has acknowledged that, because of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the strong views about it, considerable time was spent on the Declaration before everybody came together for the consensus.

“The New Delhi Leader’s declaration has 83 paras in all; all 83 paras have 100% consensus across all countries. There are 8 paras on the geopolitical issue which is entitled ‘Planet, People, Peace and Prosperity’. All those 8 paras have 100% acceptance. All countries have unanimously supported the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration. This is one declaration without a single footnote and without any chair’s summary. This is a complete statement with 100% unanimity,” stated Kant on Saturday.

The New Delhi Leader’s declaration, he said, has a huge India narrative, a huge India footprint – be it the Deccan high-level principles on food security, the Chennai high-level principles for blue ocean economy, the Goa roadmap for tourism, the Gandhinagar implementation roadmap for land restoration or Jaipur call for enhanced MSMEs.

US President Joe Biden then joined Prime Minister Modi and leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Mauritius, Singapore, Bangladesh and the UAE to launch the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) that will bring countries together to expand and create new markets for sustainable biofuels.

An initiative by India as the G20 Chair, the GBA aims to serve as a catalytic platform, fostering global collaboration for the advancement and widespread adoption of biofuels.

The announcement of a colossal strategic infrastructure project – India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) – followed which will usher in a new era of connectivity from Europe to Asia that will facilitate global trade, cooperation on energy and digital connectivity.

It was launched by Prime Minister Modi, US President Joe Biden, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the G20 Leaders’ event on the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) in the Indian capital.

The IMEC comprises of an Eastern Corridor connecting India to the Gulf region and a Northern Corridor connecting the Gulf region to Europe. It will include a railway and ship-rail transit network and road transport routes.

“Charting a journey of shared aspirations and dreams, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor promises to be a beacon of cooperation, innovation, and shared progress. As history unfolds, may this corridor be a testament to human endeavour and unity across continents,” tweeted PM Modi.

Just before he handed over the wooden gavel – that symbolises the temporary Presidency of the G20 – to the Brazilian President in the third and final session of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, PM Modi, along with other world leaders, paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the iconic Rajghat on Sunday.

The G20 family visiting Rajghat on a rainy morning and paying a solemn tribute to Bapu will remain another enduring image of India’s ongoing presidency.

“I want to say, President Modi, that I, personally, got very emotional while paying tribute to our dear Gandhi. Everyone knows that, in my political life, Mahatma Gandhi has a lot of meaning, because the fight for non-violence is an example that, for many decades, I followed when I was in the trade union movement,” said Brazilian President Lula who took over the reins of Latin America’s biggest country for an unprecedented third term in January this year.

Also Read: Mission accomplished — African Union becomes G20 Permanent Member under India’s Presidency