Inclusivity and unity central to India’s G20 agenda: Shringla

Interweaving values in the fabric of India’s G20 presidency, Chief Coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla has underlined that India is hoping “to shape the agenda for global cooperation in a spirit of inclusivity and unity – values that are crucial to tackling the global challenges confronting us.”

“There is an urgent need to revive trust and strive to find consensus on issues of green growth, sustainable development and values for global well-being,” said Mr Shringla at the Special Think 20 Programme entitled “Global Governance with LiFE, Values and Well-Being: Fostering Cooperation in Framework, Finance and Technology,” in Bhopal. The G20, as the largest grouping of advanced and emerging economies, can play a crucial role in this endeavor, he stressed.

Mr Shringla, former foreign secretary, made his remarks in the Inaugural Session that was addressed by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. India’s tradition speaks of world peace and welfare, Mr Chouhan said at the inauguration of ‘Think-20’ meeting. Around 300 delegates and experts including 94 foreign guests from 22 countries participated in the meeting.

Mr Shringla also highlighted the emergence of G20 as a beacon of hope at a time when the world is at an inflection point, beset by multiple crises. “The world is looking at the G20 with hope and expectation. Our collective progress cannot be achieved without collaboration and cooperation. We need to work together to devise long-term, well-crafted responses to address these challenges and the T20 is the forum to ideate this,” he said.

Mr Shringla enunciated India’s chief priorities as the chair of the world’s most advanced and powerful economies. “The challenges that the world faces today has given shape to India’s G20 Priorities. These include- Technology transformation, Green development and LiFE, Accelerating inclusive and resilient growth, Multilateralism and the 3Fs – Food, Fuel, Fertilizers, and Women-led development.”

Outlining the centrality of sustainable lifestyle to India’s G20 presidency, Mr Shringla said that “Prime Minister’s LiFE Initiative (Lifestyle for Environment) focuses on encouraging resource efficiency and a circular economy by giving attention to the production practices that could be built on the principles that define a ‘Lifestyle for Environment’. ” “The goal of this campaign is to encourage an eco-friendly lifestyle,” he said.

Professor Sachin Chaturvedi, DG, RIS, the organiser of the conference, highlighted the ideal of oneness of humanity that animates India’s G20 presidency. The Inaugural Session of the conference also featured remarks by Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy, T20 Chair & Director General, MPIDSA; Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog; Mr Tetsushi Sonobe, Dean and CEO, ADBI, Tokyo; Mr George Laryea-Adjei, Regional Director for South Asia, UNICEF, Nepal; Dr Slamet Soedarsono, Deputy Minister of Political Affairs, Law, Security and Defense, Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, Indonesia.

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Manish Chand

Manish Chand is Founder-CEO and Editor-in-Chief of India Writes Network (www.indiawrites.org) and India and World, a pioneering magazine focused on international affairs. He is CEO/Director of TGII Media Private Limited, an India-based media, publishing, research and consultancy company.