In the year of its G20 Presidentship, India has been cynosure of world eyes as various nations, big and small, hope for its effective role in ending hostilities in Ukraine in general and world peace in particular.
Since Delhi will be playing host to the G20 Foreign Ministers conclave this weekend, diplomatic activity in the Indian Union capital has touched a new high. Foreign Ministers from some of the world’s most economically powerful countries are making a beeline for New Delhi. Some arrived ahead of the summit others arrived during past 24 hours.
For the emerging world, the Foreign Ministers’ meeting, preceded by NSA Ajit Doval’s visits to Washington, London and Moscow, could set the ball rolling for a peace process in Ukraine. The year 2022 has seen the sharpest annual rise in debt burdens for developing countries and if the conflict continues, the current year could witness even higher prices of fertiliser and food.
Last week, Finance Ministers of G20 met in Bengaluru. India got criticised as it could not get a joint communique issued after the Finance Ministers’ meet.
Among those who have already landed in Delhi include the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Foreign Minister from Turkiye Mevlut Cavusoglu have already arrived. Some of them had their first round of meetings with their counterparts from other G20 Foreign Ministers on the margins of the Foreign Ministers’ meet.
The G20 meet today and tomorrow overlaps with the MEA’s flagship event Raisina Dialogue from March 2 to 4.
Japan announced that it would send State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yamada Kenji to attend. He will also stand in for Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi for the Quad Ministerial with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Jaishankar and Australian FM Penny Wong.
India has set a hectic schedule of meetings that will see many principals of G20 meeting frequently. Its simultaneous chairing of SCO as well as participation in Quad could also help it contribute to bridging gaps in the positions between the West and Moscow.
Sources said, “Our endeavour (in the outcome document) was to reflect the Bali consensus in the G20 Finance Ministers’ Meeting. This was expressed in the Chair’s Summary and Outcome Document. Therefore, any criticism is misplaced and factually inaccurate.”
“The fact is that it is India’s considered and balanced position that contributed in forging the Bali Declaration,” they added.
Moscow has made it clear that it would support India’s G20 presidency in its commitment to promote a unifying agenda. “We aim to work together with our Indian colleagues to achieve the desired result, showing the greatest possible flexibility. At the same time, we will firmly defend Russia’s fundamental interests,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry ahead of G20 Foreign Ministers’ meet in Delhi
The UK Foreign Secretary James will use his visit to launch the Young Professionals Scheme of two-year visas. He will also meet Jaishankar and announce the creation of the UK’s first Tech Envoy to the Indo-Pacific region.
“India is also an emerging global leader on technology and there are immense opportunities for better collaboration between us in this sector. That is why we will be sending our first Tech Envoy to the Indo-Pacific region, to maximise the tech expertise of both countries,” he said in a statement.
Mexico Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard will also travel to Mumbai to inaugurate the Mexican consulate.
The Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh, Singapore, Spain, the Netherlands and Egypt will also be at the summit on the special invitation of India.
Prabhjot Singh