India’s G20 leadership is a watershed moment in history
India, the most populous country in the world and the world’s fifth largest economy is currently the leader of the G20 grouping which will run until December 2023.
Historic moment
India’s leadership of G20 grouping is a historic moment in human history. The country is has, of late, emerged as a beacon of hope for global civilization.
India, throughout her history has played a key role in helping other countries. She has never tried to cultivate an irredentist behavior towards other states.
The fact of India’s historic G20 presidency is evident from PM Modi being endorsed as the world’s most popular leader.
Having said that, it is necessary to understand that significance of India’s leadership role. India has historically been an advocate of moralpolitik foreign policy. Being the home of Buddha, Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, India has demonstrated her helping hand for eons.
India’s vaccine maitri initiative, under which India has gone on to help, with free vaccines to over a hundred countries in the world, while her own population was vulnerable to the dangerous COVID-19 pandemic.
Leader of the global south
The global south refers to the developing countries of the world. These countries have historically been a victim of colonialism and imperialism.
J Sai Deepak in his book India, That is Bharat had highlighted how the colonial and colonization policies had consciously been spread by the colonial powers which had then permeated to the rest of the new world.
Evidently, India has been, since the cold war has emerged as the leader of the global south. This has reached its high water mark in the G20 presidency of India.
C Raja Mohan has in several of his columns, has highlighted that India is truly a beacon of hope of the global south but India must avoid forming a coalition against the global north. This is because India and other countries of the world require the resources and technological know-how of the global north to mitigate problems related to climate change, global warming while prioritizing her own development.
A hope for humanity
India’s leadership of G20 offers an aura of hope for humanity. This is because India has, since the Ashokan times believed in the spirit of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam.
This is clearly reflected in India’s policy of accommodation and wanting the best for the world.
It should be noted, that India has spoken on many issues that affect the human race.
For example, India’s policy makers have called for a cautious approach to Artificial Intelligence which in Yuval Noah Harari’s second book Homo Deus- A Brief History of Tomorrow can pose an existential threat to humanity in the form of job losses and robots supplanting humans and creating a modern slavery system where machines would rule.
India’s leadership is a hope for global public goods being distributed in an egalitarian manner. Her leadership means that climate change mitigation’s responsibility lies with the global north under the differentiated responsibility principle of the Paris Accord of 2015.
Conclusion
Therefore, countries must resist engaging in petty squabbles regarding India’s leadership role.