NDTV News:
New Delhi: Throughout its presidency of the G20, India shares a vision of being the voice of the Global South and the country has ensured to walk the talk with its focus on raising concerns.
“Our G20 priorities will be shaped in consultation with not just our G20 partners, but also our fellow travellers in the Global South, whose voice often goes unheard,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said last December.
When India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2022, PM Modi set out various visions for the nation’s year-long presidency and the Global South was one of them.
Global South is used to refer to developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, while economically developed countries such as the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia, Australia and New Zealand constitute Global North.
In fulfilling its ambition, India has raised the issues that were concerning the Global South countries on the international forums and at the United Nations meetings and conferences.
Recently, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar affirmed that India has walked the talk when it comes to raising issues of the Global South.
“So how has India walked the talk, when it comes to Global South? Stress situations normally provide a good indicator of intent and behaviour. During the Covid (pandemic), Made-in-India vaccines were sent to about 100 countries. And about 150 nations imported medicines during this period from the Pharmacy of the World,” EAM Jaishankar had said while detailing how India worked to advance the cause of the Global South.
At the very beginning of its presidency, India hosted the Voice of Global South Summit virtually in January with representatives from 125 countries. India even ensured that the region remained centre stage at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima in May this year.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the Inaugural Leaders’ session on 12 January. This was followed by eight Ministerial-level thematic segments dedicated to addressing the most pressing concerns of the developing world. The Summit wrapped up on 13 January with a Concluding Leaders’ Session also hosted by Prime Minister,” according to the statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs.
“The participating Leaders appreciated and congratulated the leadership of the Prime Minister for hosting the Summit at a crucial juncture. They expressed hope that the Summit would serve as a catalyst for building a prosperous and inclusive future for the world that takes into account the needs of the Global South,” the statement added.
