PM Modi calls for consensus; says G20 has critical role in finding right balance between growth, efficiency and resilience

New Delhi, March 2

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on the G20 to not let a single issue become a roadblock towards finding common ground on other, equally pressing issues. “You are meeting at a time of deep global divisions. We should not allow issues that we cannot resolve together to come in the way of those we can,’’ he said while addressing the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) here on Thursday.

Alluding to the Ukraine crisis that forms a huge overhang over the meeting, the PM acknowledged that it is natural that the discussions will be affected by the geopolitical tensions of the day. “However, as the leading economies of the world, we also have a responsibility towards those who are not in this room…. No group can claim global leadership without listening to those most affected by its decisions,’’ he observed in his video address.

Hoping that the meeting will rise above differences so that the G20 can play a role in finding the right balance between growth and efficiency on one hand and resilience on the other, the PM said the world looks upon the Bloc to ease the challenges of growth, financial stability, transnational crime, and food and energy security.

Addressing an audience that included Sergei Lavrov (Russia), Antony Blinken (the US) and Qin Gang (China), the PM said, “Many developing countries are struggling with unsustainable debt while trying to ensure food and energy security. They are also the ones most affected by global warming caused by richer countries. This is why India’s G20 Presidency has tried to give a voice to the Global South.’’

European and US representatives have in media bytes to their respective media outlets have made it clear that they would further corner Russia at the meeting. Several of them, including from France and the Netherlands, have indicated that they would be pressing for sanctions by the entire G20 bloc. On the other side, besides Russia and China, sanctions will not find favour with India, Brazil, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

The G20 FMM is taking place a week after the Bengaluru meeting of G20 Finance Ministers was unable to produce a joint communique due to lack of consensus over condemning Russia. India then issued a “Chair’s Summary and Outcome Document.’’ However, Russia and China objected to the two paras on the Ukraine conflict.