The Indian diplomatic team held 300 bilateral meetings and circulated 15 drafts with its counterparts on the contentious Ukraine conflict to seek consensus.
07:06
“200 hours 300 meetings” India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant praises his team and shares the complexities of the G20
“The most complex part of the whole G20 summit was to reach a consensus on geopolitical relations (Russia-Ukraine). This happened over 200 hours of continuous negotiations, 300 bilateral meetings and 15 drafts. In this I was greatly assisted by “two brilliant officers, Eenam Gambhir and K Nagraj Naidu,” Kant posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
India made history and stamped its authority on the global stage on Saturday, securing consensus on more than 100 issues on the agenda including the most contentious, the Russia-Ukraine war, as G20 leaders delivered the declaration of states – and heads of government in New Delhi adopted.
“United in consensus and spirit, we commit to working together for a better, more prosperous and harmonious future. “My thanks go to all other G20 members for their support and cooperation,” Prime Minister Modi said in a post after the 34-page declaration was adopted after more than 200 hours of “tense, ruthless negotiations,” as Indian Sherpa Amitabh Kant called it had been. Modi’s claim that “this is not the age of war,” echoed in the Bali Declaration, was also part of that declaration.
The breakthrough was facilitated after India managed to garner support from the emerging economies of Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia, and after invoking Prime Minister Modi’s name to send the blunt message that there was no more time to waste may. “Finally we had to tell them that our leader wants it and that it has to be implemented,” Kant said.
03:01
Historical! Consensus Reached, G20 Leaders Adopt New Delhi Leaders’ Statement, Prime Minister Modi Announces
The significance of the statement went far beyond encouraging the opposing parties to agree on a compromise formulation on the Ukraine issue. It was a testament to India’s growing geopolitical importance as nations embraced the priorities highlighted by Modi.
India’s G20 Sherpa noted several benefits for members – an ambitious green development agenda, including reduced emissions and increased financing, and accelerated progress on the Sustainable Development Goals through a focus on health and education. In short, a rich trophy cabinet.
Regard WATCH: G20 India Sherpa Amitabh Kant answers the most searched questions on the internet
