The foundation stone of G-20 was laid in the year 1999 regarding cooperation in the fields of global economy, trade, agriculture and energy. With time, topics like environment and terrorism were also added to them. Now 19 countries and the European Union are its members, among whom the presidency of the organization rotates by rotation. This time India is its president and also the host of the summit meeting. The question is, what will India gain from this big event? Will the absence of Xi Jinping or Putin make any impact?
flower arrangement
The author is the New Delhi editor of EU Asia News.
It was not necessary for Chinese President Xi Jinping to come to the G-20 summit. He wanted the grand success of the ongoing ASEAN Summit in Jakarta. The Chinese media was filled with the same news which the media of East Asian countries was following. The intention is to prove the G-20 meeting unimportant and to minimize its coverage. Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang was giving his statement at the Jakarta meeting on Tuesday. After the 26th China-ASEAN Summit, 26th ASEAN Plus Three, and 18th East Asia Summit, Li Qiang will have departed for India by the time this article is published. In the G-20 summit, Li Qiang may raise those questions on which China has objection.
China’s basic objection was to the G-20 gatherings taking place in Indian territories over which it forcibly claims. A few days ago China released a so-called ‘standard map’ making territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin as well as Taiwan and the South China Sea. China releases such standard maps every year. This is the first time that India has strongly objected to this map, rejecting Chinese claims. The publication of this map a few days before the G-20 summit should be called a Chinese mischief. From the statement issued in the Johannesburg meeting regarding the meeting between Xi and Modi and the initiative to resolve the border dispute, it seemed that now the train will start running on track.
Xi also felt that if he went to the Delhi summit without Putin, he might face diplomatic siege. Xi’s absence from the Delhi meeting also became a big news for the international media, seeing its extensive coverage it seems as if everything was pre-planned. Xi became the President of China on March 14, 2013, since then he has been continuously attending G-20 summit meetings. As an exception, the 2021 meeting saw Xi appear virtually on screen. That was the Covid period. But, when Xi was in Nusa Dua, his handshake with PM Modi became important news for India. Pro-Modi social media was in full swing. Angered by this, the troll army did not spare Prime Minister Modi in its retaliatory attack. It was strange, if you shake hands it would be bad, if you don’t shake hands it would be difficult.
Did Xi also want distance from Joe Biden, that is why he did not come to Delhi? Do not accept this theory also as correct. In fact, Joe Biden has expressed regret over Xi not coming. If seen properly, efforts are being made to gradually bring the train of US-China diplomacy back on track. On August 2, Al Jazeera reported that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had been invited to Washington. US Finance Minister Gina Raimondo came to Beijing in the third week of August 2023. One of the many reasons is that Xi did not consider it right to come to India because of his friendship with Putin.
Uncomfortable aspect in relationships
If you carefully look at the visuals of Xi’s meeting with PM Modi in Johannesburg, there was no ease in relations. Very formal. Mechanical. Then, due to the way India’s social media and opposition are attacking China over land grabbing in areas like Doklam-Depsang La, Daulat Beg Oldi, the Chinese Embassy in India did not consider it the right time for Xi’s visit. Indian Foreign Minister S. When Jaishankar was asked what effect the absence of Putin and Xi Jinping from India would have on the G-20 conference? In response, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said, ‘I think that on different occasions in the G20, there have been some Presidents or Prime Ministers who, for whatever reason, did not come to participate in the summit, but the representatives of that country remained present in the meeting. The parties tell. I think all the representatives are attending the meeting very seriously. The second important question to Jaishankar was, is the reason for Xi and Putin not coming to the G-20 conference due to anger with India? Jaishankar replied, ‘I don’t think it has anything to do with India. Both the leaders would know better about the decision taken.
In 1999, the foundation stone of G-20 was laid for cooperation in the fields of global economy, trade, agriculture and energy. This idea was first developed by the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of seven rich countries of the world. With time, topics like environment, fight against terrorism and women’s rights started getting added to G-20. There are 19 countries, growing from seven, and the 20th group, including the European Union, are members of the G-20. The presidency of the organization rotates among 19 countries. But in India it was interpreted that because of the greatness of PM Modi, India has got the opportunity of chairing the G-20.
This is also true to a great extent. The G-20 summit was held in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, from November 30 to December 1, 2018. On the concluding day, PM Modi insisted that we will take the presidency of G-20 in 2022 instead of 2021. For this it was necessary to convince Italy. After Argentina, it was Japan in 2019, Saudi Arabia by November 2020, and India’s turn in 2021. In the year 2022, it was Italy’s turn to hold the presidency of G-20. How did Italy’s then Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte readily agree to move the G-20 presidency back and forth? Whoever heard it was surprised.
Giuseppe Conte came to Delhi on 30 October 2018, a month before the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. In that visit of Conte, big resolutions were made for cooperation between India and Italy in the field of economy and technology. Then on 29 and 30 October 2018, PM Modi was to be in Japan, but the desire to meet Giuseppe Conte was so much that that visit was postponed a little. India got the opportunity of chairing the G-20 in the Amrit year of independence, but it was deprived of the divine ceremony which the people of the country would have witnessed in the Amrit year. Even though Giuseppe Conte remained in power in Italy till February 2021, he could not taste the nectar generated by the G-20.
Dimensions related to the goals of G-20
It is clear that the goal of G-20 is to share trade around the world. Many dimensions of cooperation kept getting added to this. Those people in India who are not happy considering the presidency of G-20 as an achievement, they should be asked whether the values ​​on which the freedom struggle was fought in this country have any match with the ‘motto’ of G-20. ?
The bitter truth is that the G-20 platform has been created to please America. Keep following the principle of ‘Ekai Sadhe Sab Samsha’, keep doing pleasantries to woo the White House. You remember the 2019 G-20 Summit, when the topic of women’s rights was included as a major agenda because of Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka. When America became adamant on the environment in the Paris conference, the G-20 came into crisis. For the success of the Delhi meeting, we will have to follow the path set by Joe Biden, this is also understandable in view of all the activities.
The other aspect of G-20 is that G-20 has been divided due to the tug of war between America and China during the time of Covid and after the Ukraine war. Putin did not appear in Nusa Dua, Indonesia, the main reason being the Ukraine war. Putin continued to reduce his active participation in the G-20 summit meetings, but for the sake of ritual, the Russian Foreign Minister continued to participate in the summit meetings. The absence of a common statement in the G-20 summit meetings is also a big question on the unity of the participating countries.
those without a home
It was the last week of July 2023 when Junior Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore told Parliament that between April 1 and July 27, 49 encroachment removal operations were conducted in Delhi, in which 230 acres of government land was taken back. Minister Kaushal Kishore said that not a single house has been demolished for the G-20. But if you go to these areas, the story is different. Those whose houses were destroyed in the Janta Camp located at Bhainro Marg in Delhi, thought that the G-20 event would do something in favor of the poor. A resident there told a news agency that what is happening is completely opposite.
The biggest question is that why are people allowed to settle in such colonies who cannot build houses? Actually, this is a complete nexus, in which everyone, including politicians, bureaucrats, small brokers of localities, participates. In the year 2021, the then Housing and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said in Parliament that 1 crore 35 thousand people live in irregular colonies of Delhi. Hardeep Puri no longer looks after the urban development department, but leaders like him do not have the answer as to whose responsibility it is to settle such people in the last ten years and uproot them after some time?
In the second week of February 2023, news came that various agencies of the Delhi government would spend more than Rs 1,000 crore on preparations for the G-20 summit and related events. The Delhi government said that apart from upgrading the infrastructure, Rs 1,084 crore will be spent on beautification work and other such preparations by various departments of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). A senior Delhi government official said that repairs on roads and footpaths, gardening, lighting up of Delhi with LED lights have been ensured for the summit. Electric buses are planned for visitors and foreign delegates.
The most interesting thing is the clash between the vocal leaders regarding the preparations for G-20. Delhi Pradesh BJP President Birendra Sachdeva said that the Central Government has so far spent Rs 4,064 crore on G-20, whereas the Kejriwal government has spent only Rs 51 crore. Sachdeva claimed that Delhi Police is spending Rs 340 crore on security and DDA is spending Rs 18 crore on beautification. He said the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has spent Rs 60 crore.
But did the moon and stars really appear in Delhi? If you visit all four directions of Delhi during the G-20 summit meeting, you will come face to face with the ground truth. CAG may someday find the answer to the question of where Rs 4,064 crore has been spent. The mountains of garbage in Okhla, Bhalswa and Ghazipur in Delhi will be found teasing the G-20.
According to the Delhi government, ‘Okhla landfill is planned to be decommissioned by December 2023, Bhalswa landfill by March 2024 and Ghazipur landfill by December 2024.’ Earlier, the deadline for disposal of Okhla and Bhalswa landfills was December 2023 and the deadline for Ghazipur landfill was March 2024. Now they are telling that the mountains of garbage will be converted into biodiversity parks. It’s amazing. You should roam around the area of ​​five-seven kilometers from Pragati Maidan, roads are dug up at many places. Don’t know why Delhi Jal Board decided to lay the pipeline at the time of G-20 summit? Excavated roads and dust at various places in Delhi are creating havoc on the occasion of the event!
Exclusive designer crockery on the dining table
Renu Khantwal
The G20 event is in full swing. Everything has been designed in such a way that it is the best and reflects the art and culture of India. Talking about hosting the guests coming to India, a menu was prepared which included a variety of traditional dishes from different states of India. Also, the utensils in which these dishes are served should also be very special. That is why these silver utensils have been designed very beautifully according to the dishes. This special tableware and decoration made by a Jaipur company was selected for the ongoing G20 summit in Delhi. These crockery designs reflect the unity in diversity of India. While Ashoka Chakra is engraved on the utensils, along with the national bird peacock, beautiful flowers and designs symbolizing Indian culture have also been prepared. These utensils were prepared keeping in mind the theme of unity in diversity, fusion elegance. So that these utensils enhance the beauty of the tables of 11 hotels in Delhi, when delicious food is served in them, they add to the look of the dining table. This design is the brainchild of the company’s chief designers Rajeev Pabuwal and Lakshya Pabuwal. Rajeev Pabuwal told- When former US President Barack Obama came to India, he was served food in these utensils. He liked these utensils so much that he took some utensils with him to America and later ordered some utensils from there.
