G20 In India, Modi: Global World Will Be Multipolar

On September 9 and 10, world leaders will gather in New Delhi for the G20 summit. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, explains in a long interview with Moneycontrol his multipolar vision of the world and the role of India in the international context characterized by economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

India’s G20 slogan “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth, One Family, One Future” expresses the concept of a world where “each member is deeply connected to the world of each other. So, when we work together, we progress together, with no one left behind.” By the end of the summit, there will be over 220 meetings in 60 cities across all 28 states and 8 territories of India with over 1,000 attendees representing 125 nationalities.

In its nearly 25 years of existence, the G20 has made an important contribution: “From terrorism to shadow money, from supply chain sustainability to climate-friendly growth. Ever since the inception of the G20, there have been positive developments in global cooperation on these issues. Of course, there is always room for improvement, such as greater participation from the global South and greater role for Africa.”

The international order has not been this unstable since World War II: first the Covid pandemic, now the war in Ukraine, and uncertainty as to existing development patterns. “Our human-centered vision of progress worked before, during, and after the pandemic,” explains Narendra Modi. “At the same time, our economy has long been a bright spot around the world and has continued to be so, even when the world was facing the multidimensional impact of the conflict.”

The global order is increasingly split into two blocs, one is led by the USA and the other by China.

“We live in a very interconnected and interdependent world. The impact of technology extends beyond borders and frontiers,” Modi explains. “At the same time, it is also true that each country has its own interests. Therefore, continued efforts to achieve consensus on common goals are important. Various forums and dialogue platforms are the right place for this. The new world order is multipolar. Each country agrees with another on some issues and disagrees on others. Once this reality is accepted, the way out is explored based on national interests. India is doing the same. We have close relations with many countries, some of which take different positions on some issues. There is a need for a credible multilateral approach supported by institutions that promote reforms and treat various interested parties with coherence, equality, and dignity. Reformed multilateralism must also focus on moving beyond the institutional realm to harness the power of individuals, societies, cultures, and civilizations. This can only be achieved by democratizing international relations and refusing to use relations between governments as the only means of contact. Increasing people-to-people contacts through areas such as trade and tourism, sports and science, culture and commerce, mobility of talent and technology, etc. will create true understanding between different countries, their aspirations and viewpoints. The interconnected nature of our world can become a driving force for peace and progress, if we focus on people-centered politics.”

Climate change poses serious challenges and creates big problems that became especially evident during the period from 2022 to 2023, when fires, floods, and severe drought spells occurred in various parts of the planet. “The world, whether developed or developing countries, must recognize that the climate change is not just a reality, but a shared reality. The impact of climate change is not regional or local, but global, and the Global South will suffer disproportionately. But in a deeply interconnected world, anything that affects such a large global population is bound to affect the rest of the world. Therefore, the solution must be global. The countries of the Global South have suffered the hardest from the climate crisis, despite doing little to create the problem. But they are willing to do whatever it takes to help the planet, as long as the world is willing to do everything possible to help them take care of their poor. Therefore, a sensitive and receptive approach directed at mobilizing resources and transferring technology can work wonders. Every lifestyle decision, if made with the well-being of the planet in mind, will benefit our future generations. This is why I said that we need to move from mindless and destructive consumption to conscious and purposeful use.”

Meanwhile, many international trade participants are looking to shorten their supply chains: “Instances of unilateralism and isolationism can contribute to supply chain disruptions and affect livelihoods, especially in critical sectors. This is why investing in sustainable global value chains is becoming increasingly important today. Countries need to offer stable policies that encourage trade, industry, and innovation. Fair trade policy is certainly a key focus of the G20, as it will directly benefit the world in the long run. India has diligently defended the interests of the Global South in this crisis. We are working on strengthening multilateral coordination to facilitate coordinated debt treatment for distressed countries. To accelerate debt restructuring efforts, the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR), a joint initiative of the IMF, the World Bank, and the G20 rotating president, was launched earlier this year. This will strengthen communication and promote common understanding among key concerned parties both inside and outside the overall structure to promote effective debt treatment.”