G20 Summit 2022 concludes: Highlights as India assumes G20 Presidency [details]

The G20 summit, held in Bali, Indonesia, concluded with a handing over ceremony, wherein India has been formally handed over the presidency for the G20 Summit next year.

Accordingly, as per the protocol, during the closing ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen taking charge of next year’s summit. “Together with every country’s efforts, we can make the G20 Summit a catalyst for global welfare.”

The 18th G20 Summit will be held in India on 9-10 September 2023 in New Delhi. Since the G20 bloc does not have a permanent secretariat, the presidency is supported by the troika of previous, current and incoming presidency. For instance, during India’s presidency the troika will comprise of Indonesia, India and Brazil, respectively.

In what can safely be called Rishi Sunak’s first big moment on the world stage, all expectations and apprehensions were clearly resting on the UK’s newest Prime Minister at the G20. Ever since Sunak landed in Bali on Monday, he didn’t disappoint the political observers and his detractors alike. India, least of all.

On the side lines of the summit, Sunak announced, UK-India Young Professionals Scheme. An arrangement between the two nations on reciprocal basis, wherein 3000 visas will be given young Indian professionals allowing them to work in the UK for two years.

That wasn’t the only diplomatic achievement scored by Sunak. In yet another deal, the UK and French governments, decided to clamp down on small boat crossings, addressing the issue of alarming number of crossings and people risking the journey.

Joint declaration at the summit

The G20 or the Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum, consisting of 19 member countries namely, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the USA, and the European Union (EU).

At the 17th summit, held in Bali, the member countries signed a joint declaration brought out at the end. The declaration acknowledged that the war in Ukraine is causing economic distress and insecurity worldwide. It also says that nuclear weapons in war are, “inadmissible.”

The 17-page-long declaration stated, “This year, we have also witnessed the war in Ukraine further adversely impact the global economy.” The declaration is being read by political observers as a diplomatic nightmare for Indian government, whose stance on Ukraine-Russia war has been interpreted as ‘soft’ on Russia.

Some pressing matters

On Day 2 of the summit, U.S President Joe Biden, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and British PM Rishi Sunak attended an emergency meeting of leaders, following the unfortunate development of overnight missile strike by a Russian-made rocket on Poland.

The missile strike killed two people and immediately led to an international outcry, prompting Ukraine President Zelensky to say, that Ukraine is not responsible for the attack.