India’s G20 Presidency: Championing the Global South
- As India takes charge of the G20 forum, it is proclaiming a new ambition — to champion the cause of the “Global South”.
- This has raised a number of questions about India’s intentions.
Issues against Indian Ambitions
- Skepticism about anti-West orientation
- India’s international partners, especially US and Europe, wonder if it is returning to anti-Western orientation.
- Focus only on South
- India’s eastern partners are apprehensive that India might privilege the “Global South”.
- Against India’s idea of vasudhaiva kutumbakam
- As the focus reiterates only the global south.
India’s trajectory towards globalisation
- 1980s - most countries moved away from the third path to economic development;
- Began to accept “Washington Consensus” on liberalisation & globalisation.
- End of the Cold War - India focussed on:
- restructuring its economy
- managing the new threats to its security
- rediscovering the virtues of regional cooperation
- rearranging its relations with major powers
- India continued to participate in the NAM summits but, promoting Third World solidarity fell off the list of priorities for India.
Importance of India
- On its way to becoming the third largest economy.
- Significant role in international activism.
- Can become a bridge between North and South.
- India’s growing material capabilities
Way forward
- Overcoming the entrenched indifference: within the governmental machinery to India’s new international possibilities.
- Must understand that Global South is not a coherent group: Global South does not have a single shared agenda.
- A tailored Indian policy: for different regions and groups of the developing world.
- Championing the Global South: Would demand more active Indian engagement with the messy regional politics within developing world.
