The G20 also invites non-member countries, including Bangladesh, Singapore, Spain and Nigeria, in addition to international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the World Bank and the IMF.
What is G20 Presidency?
The G20 does not have a permanent secretariat, and each year a member takes over the presidency to drive the group’s agenda which is split into two tracks – one led by finance ministers and the other by emissaries of member state leaders.
After India, Brazil will chair the G20, followed by South Africa in 2025.
During its tenure, India will hold over 200 meetings in around 50 cities, involving ministers, officials and civil society, leading up to a major summit in the capital New Delhi in September 2023.
About 30 heads of state and government of G20 members and invited countries will participate in the summit.
What is the upcoming agenda of G20?
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for international cooperation to tackle global issues, outlining the country’s approach to the G20.
“The challenges of climate change, terrorism and pandemics can only be solved by working together, not by fighting each other,” he said in a statement.
Modi also underlined the need to “depoliticise the global supply of food, fertilizers and medical products, so that geopolitical tensions do not lead to humanitarian crises”.
His statement reflects New Delhi’s stance that the conflict in Ukraine, sparked by the Russian invasion in February, should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
When asked about Russia’s participation in the G20 during India’s presidency, a spokesman for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that since Russia was a member of the G20, “we would expect them to participate in the process … There is a need to speak up, especially on important issues affecting the world”.
What does G20 mean for India and Modi?
The timing of the summit, ahead of India’s general elections due in 2024, could help boost Modi’s already growing reputation as a leader of international stature.
The 72-year-old leader also appears to have a personal rapport with many of his G20 counterparts, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Nevertheless, the current complex geopolitical and economic situation will make it a challenge for India and Modi to shape the international response to the multiple crises.