India took over the G-20 Presidency on Thursday at a time when the world is facing a host of challenges ranging from an accelerating climate crisis, food and energy crisis to the Ukraine-Russia war and other geopolitical problems.
The G-20 presidency will kick off with celebrations at the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, an annual event that will showcase the state’s rich traditions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a statement said, ” India’s G20 Presidency will work to promote this universal sense of one-ness. Hence our theme – ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’. This is not just a slogan. It takes into account recent changes in human circumstances, which we have collectively failed to appreciate.Today, we have the means to produce enough to meet the basic needs of all people in the world.Today, we do not need to fight for our survival — our era need not be one of war. Indeed, it must not be one!”
“Today, India is the fastest growing large economy. Our citizen-centric governance model takes care of even our most marginalised citizens, while nurturing the creative genius of our talented youth.We have tried to make national development not an exercise in top-down governance, but rather a citizen-led ‘people’s movement’,” PM Modi said.
“During our G20 Presidency, we shall present India’s experiences, learnings and models as possible templates for others, particularly the developing world. 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. Our priorities will focus on healing our ‘One Earth’, creating harmony within our ‘One Family’ and giving hope for our ‘One Future'”.
PM Modi added, ” India’s G20 agenda will be inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive.”
India was handed over the presidency of the influential bloc at the closing ceremony of the previous G20 summit in Bali that was hosted by Indonesia on November 15 and 16.
The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies.
The group comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union.
The member countries represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.