Strategizing India's policy direction in G20

The G20 has strikingly emerged as a strong and pivotal multilateral carrying important decision-making powers to shape the geo-political realities around the world. In its 10-year journey it has defined important goals and milestones for the global community to act upon. As a strong developing country that is incrementally closing on to become the future development and growth powerhouse of the world, India is trying to pursue specific aspirations that are integral to its national interests. This coincides with its affirmation to hold the G20 in 2022 in tandem with the celebration of 75 years of India's independence. Over the years, India has put forward its basket of economic and development agendas which are critically important for its future growth and sustainability. As such, G20 will be an important event in the history of the Indian republic; since it will be for the first time the world will descend to India to ink in the future direction of global geo-polity and converge on multilateral cooperation. Aligned to this, a range of stakeholders invested in development initiatives are eagerly looking at India. This is because a majority of G20 meetings have been restricted to the global north. At the previous G20 meetings, India has been keenly vouching for a just global financial regime, collective action for sustainable development and joint efforts in addressing socio-economic issues plaguing the developing bloc. To a considerable extent, it has taken considerable efforts to close its own development gaps and achieve critical milestones that are espoused by the G20. However efficient policy decisions cannot be realized unless Civil Society participation is guaranteed. Subsequently the C20 as a forum has progressively pushed for bringing a people-centric approach and cultivating sensitivity and awareness. It is on this background that the G20 has regularly been convening C20 forum which witnesses interface with global civil society. As such, Indian civil society is readying itself for the C20 in 2022. Importantly, with the formation of Forum for Indian Development Cooperation (FIDC), meaningful civil society participation has been attained and its future guidance in G20 will be extremely critical. This will attain more importance given the COVID-19 induced economic and health crisis.

Program schedule

11:00 AM Context Setting: Harsh Jaitli, CEO, VANI

11:10 am - 11:20am Presentation on G20 and India: Arjun Phillips, VANI

11:20 am-11:35 am Special Remarks by Dr. Pam Rajput, W20

11:35 am-11:50 am Special Remarks by Dr. Priyadarshini Dash, RIS

11:50 am onwards Open Discussion

Information:

Shalini Yog Shah
Deputy Director & Programme Coordinator, Democracy & Society (Gender) and India International (Global)
E: shalini.yog@in.boell.org