In order to combat the problem of climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the world needs to move away from a purely restrictive attitude on what should not be done to a more constructive attitude focusing on what can be done to fight climate change. He said that the world should move towards a shared future. While explaining the deep philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, PM Modi, in a blog post, said that this is an “all-embracing outlook that encourages us to progress as one universal family, transcending borders, languages, and ideologies”, and during India’s G20 Presidency, this has translated into a call for human-centric progress.
“The post-pandemic world order is very different from the world before it. There are three important changes, among others. First, there is a growing realisation that a shift away from a GDP-centric view of the world to a human-centric view is needed. Second, the world is recognizing the importance of resilience and reliability in global supply chains. Third, there is a collective call for boosting multilateralism through the reform of global institutions,” PM Modi said in the blog post, adding the the G20 Presidency has played the role of a catalyst in these shifts.
Further, the prime minister said, “In December 2022, when we took over the Presidency from Indonesia, I had written that a mindset shift must be catalysed by the G20. This was especially needed in the context of mainstreaming the marginalized aspirations of developing countries, the Global South and Africa.”
“The Voice of Global South Summit, which witnessed participation from 125 countries, was one of the foremost initiatives under our Presidency. It was an important exercise to gather inputs and ideas from the Global South. Further, our Presidency has not only seen the largest-ever participation from African countries but has also pushed for the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20,” he said.
The blog post further stated that while many countries of the Global South are at various stages of development, climate action must be a complementary pursuit. “Ambitions for climate action must be matched with actions on climate finance and transfer of technology,” he said.
PM Modi also talked about the benefits of technological advancements to different sections of the society. “India, over the last few years, has shown how technology can be leveraged to narrow inequalities, rather than widen them. For instance, the billions across the world that remain unbanked, or lack digital identities, can be financially included through digital public infrastructure (DPI). The solutions we have built using our DPI have now been recognised globally. Now, through the G20, we will help developing countries adapt, build, and scale DPI to unlock the power of inclusive growth,” he said.
Talking about India achieving the status of fastest-growing large economy, he said that this is no accident. “Our simple, scalable and sustainable solutions have empowered the vulnerable and the marginalised to lead our development story. From space to sports, economy to entrepreneurship, Indian women have taken the lead in various sectors. They have shifted the narrative from the development of women to women-led development. Our G20 Presidency is working on bridging the gender digital divide, reducing labour force participation gaps and enabling a larger role for women in leadership and decision-making,” he said.
“For India, the G20 Presidency is not merely a high-level diplomatic endeavour. As the Mother of Democracy and a model of diversity, we opened the doors of this experience to the world,” PM Modi stated.
“Over 200 meetings will have been organised in 60 Indian cities across the length and breadth of our nation, hosting nearly 100,000 delegates from 125 countries by the end of our term. No Presidency has ever encompassed such a vast and diverse geographical expanse. It is one thing to hear about India’s demography, democracy, diversity and development from someone else. It is totally different to experience them first-hand. I am sure our G20 delegates would vouch for this,” he said.
“Our G20 Presidency strives to bridge divides, dismantle barriers, and sow seeds of collaboration that nourish a world where unity prevails over discord, where shared destiny eclipses isolation. As the G20 President, we had pledged to make the global table larger, ensuring that every voice is heard and every country contributes. I am positive that we have matched our pledge with actions and outcomes,” PM Modi concluded.