India has ensured that the key outcomes of its 2023 G20 Presidency continue to strongly shape the agenda at this year’s G20 Summit in South Africa, with the Leaders’ Declaration echoing New Delhi’s priorities and amplifying the voice of the Global South.
The declaration takes a firm stand against terrorism, unequivocally condemning all forms and manifestations—an area on which India has consistently pushed for stronger global consensus.
Advancing the digital transformation agenda, the document highlights the growing role of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). It reinforces India’s call to harness emerging technologies—including Artificial Intelligence—while ensuring their development and deployment remain safe, secure, and trustworthy.
Women-led development, a cornerstone of India’s presidency, continues to receive strong backing, with renewed emphasis on enhancing the participation and empowerment of women and girls.
South Africa’s focus on disaster resilience builds directly on initiatives launched during India’s G20 term. The outcomes of India’s Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group have been carried forward, while the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) — a flagship Indian initiative — receives explicit recognition.
Food security has also remained a priority, with the reaffirmation of the Deccan High-Level Principles on Food Security and Nutrition adopted under India’s leadership.
In the health sector, the declaration acknowledges the importance of traditional and complementary medicine — another key achievement of the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.
A major milestone for India came in the area of climate finance. The document calls for scaling up funding from billions to trillions of dollars and recognizes that developing nations require an estimated USD 5.8–5.9 trillion before 2030 to meet their climate commitments. It also reinforces India’s LiFE (Lifestyle for Sustainable Development) initiative, promoting sustainable consumption patterns worldwide.
India’s call for comprehensive United Nations Security Council reforms — to make the body more representative — is also reflected in the declaration.
With several sections closely mirroring the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, the South African communiqué underscores India’s lasting influence on the G20 agenda and its continued leadership in championing Global South priorities.
(ANI)