The upcoming 18th G20 Summit of Heads of State and Government is scheduled to take place at New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan on September 9 and 10. Leaders of 20 of the world’s largest economies will participate in the event and will discuss economic issues of global concern and make decisions on policies. India started its G20 presidency on December 1, 2022- several meetings have been held across the country since then, which will culminate with the forthcoming summit in New Delhi next month. In attendance at the Summit will be US President Joe Biden, who will discuss joint efforts to tackle burning global issues like climate change and the Ukraine war with member countries, the White House has confirmed.
India’s G20 presidency marks a significant turning point in its role on the global stage. As the country takes up this position for the first time, India is assuming a central role in guiding discussions and driving initiatives among the world’s most influential economies. With its diverse economic landscape, technological advancements, and dedication to sustainable progress, India is well-positioned to offer distinct viewpoints. Throughout its presidency, India’s primary focus areas have been inclusive economic advancement, digital innovation, climate resilience, and ensuring fair global healthcare accessibility. Foreign minister S Jaishankar says the “biggest achievement” under India’s G20 presidency has been the unanimous endorsement of an action plan to expedite progress on sustainable goals and sustainable development lifestyles.
By effectively utilising its presidency, India is nurturing collaborative approaches that not only enhance the well-being of its citizens but also contribute to the wider global good. This underscores India’s fundamental belief in ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – the concept that the world is a single family.
G20 2023 Delhi Summit Participants
The present roster includes Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, along with the representation of the European Union.
The summit will also present the roadmap for Greener India ‘Panchamrit’. It aims to reduce 1 billion Carbon Emissions by 2030, reduce carbon intensity below 45% by 2030, and fulfil 50% of energy requirements by renewable sources by 2030 this way India aims to achieve the target of Net- Zero by 2070.
The summit in 2023 will serve as the culmination of a series of G20 processes and gatherings conducted throughout the year, involving ministers, senior officials, and representatives from civil societies. At the close of the New Delhi Summit, G20 leaders will collectively adopt a declaration that underscores their dedication to the priorities deliberated and endorsed in the preceding ministerial and working group sessions.
G20 Activities
The summit will witness interesting activities including:
- Logo Design Contest for G20 Presidency of India
- G20 Essay Competition
- ‘Know your G20’ Quiz
- G20 Summit Quiz
- India’s G20 Culture Track Quiz
- Slogan Writing Competition at G20 Summit
- Celebrate India’s G20 Presidency and more activities
A few progressive India-centric schemes that have been successful under India’s G20 Presidency are as follows:
Health
- Enhancing accessibility and affordability of healthcare
- Activation of 6 new AIIMS facilities, with 16 more in the developmental phase
- Introducing a medical college in each district
- Provision of cost-effective and high-quality generic medications through PM Jan Aushadhi
- Implementation of eSanjeevani to facilitate remote medical consultations for patients
- Digital India
- BharatNet: The Largest Rural Broadband Connectivity Network Globally
- Deployment of 584,700 km of Optical Fibre Cable
- Linking 181,800 Gram Panchayats with Optical Fibre Cable Connections
- Extending Wi-Fi Connectivity to over 100,000 Gram Panchayats
- Agriculture
- One million farmers embrace Zero Budget Natural Farming
- Conversion of 5.9 million hectares of agricultural land to Organic Farming
- Distribution of 230 million Soil Health cards to ensure soil quality monitoring
- Implementation of “Per Drop More Crop”: Enabling micro-irrigation across 6.1 million hectares
- Direct cash assistance from the government to 110 million farmers through PM KISAN
- Kisan Maandhan Yojana: Extending social security to 1.9 million farmers
- Education
- The count of medical colleges stands at 596, with a vision to establish a medical college in each district.
- Recognition has been granted to 1,057 universities.
- The number of AICTE-approved institutions exceeds 8,902, providing a collective intake capacity of over 3 million students.
- The transformative impact of the NEW NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY (NEP 2020) is set to reshape education with a strong emphasis on inclusivity.
- Tourism
- 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Unexplored beauty in all types of landforms
- ‘Tallest statue in the world, Statue of Unity
Due to the G-20 Summit, the Delhi government will close all of the schools, offices, and NDMC market areas from September 8 to 10. For these three days, the G-20 Summit will be held in New Delhi, and the Delhi Police has asked the Delhi Chief Secretary to declare a public holiday and order businesses to close in “controlled zones.” Preparations including specialised traffic arrangements and continuous practice sessions have contributed to traffic congestion within the city.
In addition to the primary summit location—the new convention facility at Pragati Maidan—foreign dignitaries will also visit other locations like Rajghat, IARI Pusa, and NGMA (Jaipur House).
