G20 Summit: India pitches for SDGs, digital public infra as top priorities

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• Background
• The Sherpa track
• The agenda and the key priorities for the G20 Summit
• How will India achieve this?

Why in News?

• Beginning the first formal meeting of the Sherpa track in Udaipur, India identified rapid-inclusive-resilient growth on SDGs (mainly health and education), as key priorities for the G20 Summit, emphasizing the importance of the Global South.

 Background of G20

• The Group of Twenty (G20) is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union.
  • The G20 members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about 2/3rd of the world population.
  • The G20 consists of 2 parallel tracks – the Finance track, led by Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors and the Sherpa track.
• A sherpa is the personal representative of a head of state or head of government who prepares an international summit, such as the annual G20 summits.
  • Basically, Sherpa track clears the way for a head of state at a major summit.
• The presidency steers the G20 agenda for one year till the final summit.
  • During its term, India will hold over 200 meetings in 50 cities, comprising ministers, government officials and civil society members, leading up to the final summit in New Delhi in Sept 2023.

The Sherpa track:

• The 4-day gathering of the Sherpa track to G20 Summit started its 1st formal meeting with dignitaries from 40 countries.
  • The G20 talks come at a time when the global economy is experiencing multiple challenges, including rising global debt, high inflation, a slowing growth rate, all of which will be tackled under the Sherpa track.
• The Sherpa track will set the agenda for the G20 leaders (in Sept 2023) and will engage on topics from 13 working groups ranging from energy, trade and investment, agriculture, digital economy, environment, anti-corruption, etc.
• Two new groups – Disaster, Risk and Resilience Group and Startup20 Engagement Group, were brought to the forefront by India under its presidency.
• According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the first day discussions were held on Technological Transformation, Green Development, Lifestyle for Environment (LIFE), Global & Regional Economy: Prospects & Challenges, etc.

What is the agenda and the key priorities of India for the G20 Summit?

• India’s Sherpa (Amitabh Kant) invoked India’s G20 presidency theme of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’/ ‘One Earth One Family One Future’ – to evolve the strategies for –
  • Green development,
  • Fostering climate finance,
  • Technological transformation and digital public infrastructure,
  • Readying multilateral institutions for the 21st century,
  • 3 Fs – food, fuel and fertilizers,
  • The broader theme of women-led development.
• On trade and investment, the discussions will focus on resilient global value chains, integrating small and medium industries and global trade and trade for growth and prosperity.
• On development, data for development, accelerating progress on sustainable development goals (SDGs), LIFE will be discussed.
• On employment, the working group will talk about addressing the global skills gap, sustainable financing for social security, gig and platform economy and social security.
• The group on agriculture will talk about enhancing food scrutiny and nutrition, sustainable agriculture with a climate-smart approach.
• On the health side, discussions will revolve around prevention, preparedness and response for health emergencies, digital health for universal access, strengthening cooperation for vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.
• On education, foundational literacy and numeracy, strengthening research and innovation, tech-enabled learning and the future of work will be the critical issues.
• On energy, the discussions will focus on low-cost finance for energy transition, fuel for the future – bio-energy cooperation, green hydrogen, that will decarbonize the economy with universal access to clean energy.

How will India achieve its agenda?

• Through a win-win collaboration between developing countries, Global South and advanced economies, that will work together through hope, harmony and healing.
• By advocating the oneness of all – priorities that will reflect not just the aspirations of the G20 partners but also the Global South whose voice is often unheard.

Q1) Where is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam written?

The original Verse appears in Maha Upanishad. It is considered the most important moral value in Indian society. This verse of Maha Upanishad is engraved in the entrance hall of the Parliament of India.

Q2) What is the lifestyle for environment?

The concept of ‘Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in Glasgow, calling upon the global community to drive LiFE as an international mass movement towards “mindful and deliberate utilization, instead of mindless and destructive consumption” to protect and preserve the environment.