Ahead of the historic G20 conference on September 9-10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke out on a wide range of themes concerning India’s future in the global arena and the economy. In an interview with news agency PTI last week, PM Modi said that many positive impacts have emerged under India’s G20 presidency. PM Modi said that some of the impacts are “very close to my heart.”
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/1)#PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/aCkucWlL3R
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
PM Modi said that India’s vision is seen as a roadmap for the future not just as mere ideas. “In G20, our words and vision are seen as the roadmap of the future and not merely as ideas,” PM Modi said.
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/5) #PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/IwNJ3IfiWp
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
It is notable that India officially assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2022, and since then it has been hosting meetings in cities including Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Guwahati, Indore, Jodhpur, Khajuraho, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Rann of Kutch, Surat, Srinagar, Thiruvananthapuram, and Udaipur.
PM Modi rejects China and Pakistan’s objection to India hosting G20 meetings in Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir
On the question of China, which is a G20 member and Pakistan which has nothing to do with G20 raising objections to India holding G20 meetings in Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Modi outrightly rejected the ‘objections’ saying that “it is very natural to hold meetings in every part of the country.”
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/9)#PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/AreeFY2p8c
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
“Such a question would be valid if we had refrained from conducting meetings in those venues. Ours is such a vast, beautiful and diverse nation. When G20 meetings are happening, isn’t it natural that meetings will be held in every part of our country,” Modi said.
Notably, China has over the years been claiming some regions of Arunachal Pradesh as its own. Recently, China released a ‘standard map’ as well laying claims on Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin. China’s bizarre claims, however, were met with criticism from External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who in an interview said that “China has a habit of releasing such maps, and told China that merely including other countries’ territories in its map meant nothing, as the territories are very much part of India.” In addition, India also registered against China’s actions through diplomatic channels.
PM Modi highlights the significance of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
PM Modi emphasised that the theme of India’s G20 Summit ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or “One Earth · One Family · One Future” is not just a slogan but rather a comprehensive philosophy derived from India’s cultural ethos.
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/24) #PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/8lsekbfjmX
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
Notably, the theme of India’s G20 presidency is taken from the ancient Hindu scripture Maha Upanishad, which mentions the philosophy of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam which implies that the world is one family.
PM Modi also said that “Over 1.5 crore Indians involved in year-long G20 programmes or have been touched by some of its aspects.”
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/28) #PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/h5TNv47GAF
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
PM Modi further added that during the Chief Ministers meeting, he appealed to various states to ensure that each state continues to deepen its ties with the delegates who visited them during the G20 and their countries. This will also provide many chances for people in the future.
PM Modi bats for the ‘third-world’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been very vocal about the issues pertaining to the Global South and the so-called ‘third world’ countries. PM Modi asserted that under India’s G20 presidency, the confidence of the ‘third world’ countries has increased.
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/22) #PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/EaHzr0qBDk
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
“India’s G20 Presidency also sowed seeds of confidence in countries of the so-called third world. Africa is a top priority for us in G20; no future plan of earth can succeed without all voices being heard.”
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/26) #PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/zYCbn6rLx6
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
It is worth recalling that in June this year, PM Modi had written to G20 leaders for granting full membership to the African Union in the G20 grouping.
During the third G20 Sherpas conference in Karnataka’s Hampi in July, the proposal was formally included in the draught communique for the summit. At the G20 summit in Delhi, a final decision would be made regarding the proposal.
Even in his historic address to the joint US Congressional session in June, PM Modi had said “Giving a voice to the Global South is the way forward. That is why I firmly believe that the African Union be given full membership of G20,” Modi said.
PM Modi on Inflation
When asked about inflation, Prime Minister Modi described it as a “key issue” that the world is dealing with. “Our G20 presidency led to the recognition that anti-inflation policies in one country do not harm others.”
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/20) #PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/YqgqY6dgfm
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
PM further outlined that the importance of timely and unambiguous communication of policy orientations by central banks was recognised. He opined that such steps can ensure that one country’s actions to control inflation do not have a negative impact on other countries.
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/21) #PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/WQFRdlps0f
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
The prime minister stressed an emphasis was laid on a similar approach to address the issues associated with food and energy price volatility, especially given the strong relationship between food and energy markets.
International Biofuels alliance
When asked about his plans to propose an international biofuel alliance, PM Modi said that the 20th and the 21st centuries are different and emphasised that today’s world is more interconnected and interdependent. PM Modi pointed out that such bio-fuel alliances would help the developing countries in their energy transitions.
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/27) #PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/FtT3xsZdy2
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
“Such alliances are aimed at creating options for developing countries to advance their energy transitions. Biofuels are also important from the perspective of a circular economy. Markets, trade, technology, and policy – all aspects of international cooperation are crucial in creating such opportunities.
PM Modi added that such alternatives can improve energy security, offer possibilities for the domestic industry, and create green jobs.
Fake news, deep-fakes, cyber terrorism and more
Speaking about cybercrimes, the spread of fake news, online radicalisation, metaverse etc., Prime Minister Modi said that fake news can be used to fuel social unrest adding that “fake news and deep fakes can cause chaos and loss of credibility of news sources.”
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/14) #PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/Mc0xHKYYh5
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
PM Modi said that cyber threats not only incur financial losses but also bring social and geopolitical implications.
Prime Minister Modi said that cyberterrorism, online radicalisation, and the use of networked platforms to transfer funds from money laundering to drugs and terrorism are just the tip of the iceberg as Cyberspace has posed an all-new threat.
PM Modi said, “Terrorist organisations are utilising technology to radicalise their followers, diverting funds from money laundering and drug trafficking into terror funding, and capitalising on developing digital channels such as the dark web, metaverse, and cryptocurrency platforms to achieve their nefarious goals.
Furthermore, PM Modi then emphasised that India convened a G20 Conference on Crime and Security in the Age of NFTs, AI, and the Metaverse. During the meeting, participants raised worry over hostile cyber activities that violate established cyberspace norms, principles, and standards, as well as international law.
PM Modi added that coordination of prevention and mitigation strategies was emphasised. The importance of establishing a comprehensive international treaty to combat the exploitation of ICTs for criminal purposes was emphasised.
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/16)#PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/gYKiiKUmvG
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
Populism and political stability
PM Modi emphasised the dual aspects of “stability” and “decisive mandate” stating that governments in the three decades prior to 2014 were unstable and hence unable to get much done. Because of the stability, he noted, various reforms across industries could be implemented in the recent nine years.
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/17)#PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/Tk0X7oNHb4
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
“Political stability of 9 years led to several reforms and growth is its natural by-product,” PM Modi said.
PHOTO | Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview with PTI (n/18) #PMModiSpeaksToPTI pic.twitter.com/ixDfKoNFqv
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 3, 2023
As several state elections, as well as the ultimate Lok Sabha battle, is approaching, the Prime Minister revived the debate on the culture of freebies, which he had dubbed “revdi culture” in October last year, saying that “financially irresponsible policies and populism may yield political results in the short term but will exact a high social and economic price in the long term.”
G20 meeting in New Delhi
The New Delhi G20 Summit, which will bring an end to a series of meetings over the course of the year, is going to be held in New Delhi on 9-10 September this year. The 43 Heads of Delegations- the largest ever in G20-will be participating in the final G20 Summit.
The G20 Summit is a forum for international economic cooperation and represents 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade and two-thirds of the global population. The G20 presidency is a very important opportunity for India, as it gives India an opportunity to become a major player on the global stage.
