New Delhi: The recent G20 summit witnessed an arduous journey towards achieving consensus on the declaration, with India playing a pivotal role in bringing together divergent views. Amitabh Kant, India's G20 sherpa, revealed that nearly 200 hours of intense negotiations were required to craft a joint communique from G20 leaders, who were divided over their stance on Russia's conflict with Ukraine.
India's negotiation tactics involved a series of tough discussions with key players such as China, Russia, and Western nations. Strong support from Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia bolstered India's efforts in reaching a unified stance. Reports suggest that India presented the final draft to G20 members, warning that without agreement, there would be no declaration. The breakthrough was only achieved late on Friday night after multiple rounds of talks.
Well done @amitabhk87! Looks lile the IFS lost an ace diplomat when you opted for the IAS! "Negotiated with Russia, China, only last night got final draft," says India's G20 Sherpa on 'Delhi Declaration' consensus.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 9, 2023
A proud moment for India at G20! https://t.co/9M0ki7appY
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor commended Amitabh Kant's negotiation skills, emphasizing that his diplomatic prowess was a significant asset. Tharoor took to social media to express his admiration for Kant's efforts, stating that it was a "proud moment for India at G20."
Sources indicated that India successfully persuaded China to agree to the text regarding the Ukraine conflict, following the European Union's concurrence. During the summit's first day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised many by announcing the adoption of the G20 leaders' declaration with consensus. This was unexpected as both the Russia-China alliance and Western nations had previously signaled their unwavering positions on the Ukraine conflict.
The breakthrough came after India circulated a new text on the Ukraine crisis to G20 states, seeking to break the deadlock. Initially, a draft of the declaration, agreed upon by most G20 states, left the paragraph on the "geopolitical situation" concerning Ukraine blank.
While negotiators from G20 states managed to agree on 75 other paragraphs in the draft, covering topics such as climate financing, multilateral development bank reform, and cryptocurrency regulation, India's role in bridging gaps and facilitating compromise on the Ukraine conflict was particularly lauded.
French diplomatic sources praised India's ability to unite countries and described it as a "powerful player" in international diplomacy. They noted that India's inclusive approach, willingness to consider input from all parties, and capacity to formulate a compromise on the Ukraine issue set it apart.
The consensus on the G20 declaration was undoubtedly a challenging feat, and European sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged it as a significant achievement by India. While some Western countries had hoped for stronger language in the declaration regarding "Russian aggression," they expressed overall satisfaction with the summit's outcomes.
