Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong message against the backdrop of the Ukraine-Russia conflict now forms the basis of the outcome statement of the G-20 communique.
“The Indian delegation played a major role in reaching consensus among member states on the wording critical of the Russian invasion, according to three officials with knowledge of the talks. The language of the statement echoed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words to Putin in September that “now is not the time for war” and the key role India played in reaching a consensus for the outcome document was clearly spelled out by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra in his press briefing in Bali.
Modi’s call for peaceful solutions, crisis management efforts as well as addressing the conflict through diplomacy and dialogue was visible in the approach taken by world leaders. His suggestion to settle the Ukraine war issue with an inclusive paragraph, in the face of deep divisions, paved the way for an agreed language in the declaration after five days of negotiations.
At the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, the prime minister opposed any restrictions on energy supplies amid Western calls against Russia’s oil procurement in his speech, insisting on a ‘ceasefire and dialogue.
The words and messages from the G20 summit in Indonesia clearly put India’s narrative behind the Ukraine conflict in the global discourse. India’s leadership in developing countries and emerging markets led to the issuance of a comprehensive Leaders’ Declaration.
India’s suggestion that, given the deep divisions, the Ukraine issue should be settled through an inclusive clause paved the way for agreed language in the declaration after five days of talks. India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine issue at the UN forum has also been fully preserved.
During the summit, India played a key role in getting important references on important issues like sustainable development and lifestyles, new measurable targets for post-2025 climate finance, multilateral reforms aimed at implementing the 2030 Agenda, global digital health network and finance and technology as critical enablers, to name a few.