G20 Summit 2023: Balancing Economic Cooperation & Geopolitical Tension | PWOnlyIAS

Context:

• This article of “The Hindu- G20 Diplomacy and a Shifting World Order” praises India for her coverage of various issues and achievement of multiple positive outcomes in G20 Summit 2023 under her Presidency. On the other hand, it also raises concerns with the changing nature of the G20 group.

G20 Summit 2023: New Delhi Declaration

• Declaration For Everyone: It does indeed seem to have something for everyone.
• Coverage of all important Issues: From condemnation of terrorism to climate issues, trebling of renewable energy capacity, sustainable development and reform of multilateral development banks.
• Endorsement of the Theme: India’s contributions such as digital public infrastructure and Unified Payments Interface and the nature of declaration i.e., favoring compromise over conflict are fully endorsing the theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.
• Different Attitude, but supported by Everyone: Consensus on the Ukraine conflict became possible. It sought a resolution to the conflict (unlike the Bali declaration which was accusatory in tone). Russia and China hailed the New Delhi Declaration at G20 Summit 2023.

G20 Summit 2023: Balancing Economic Cooperation and Geo-political Issues

• Deviation from Core Values at G20 Summit 2023: China affirms that the G20 intended to be a ‘forum for economic cooperation’ and ‘not a platform for resolving geo-political and security issues’.
• Becoming a Geo-political Tool: The establishment of an India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor Plan is sought by China as a geo-political tool.
• West Influencer: China’s perception is that the G-20 was being used by the West solely to try and impose its world view.
• Missing out Important Issues: A few other world leaders believe that hardly any of the geo-strategic and geo-economic issues had been sorted out at the G20 summit 2023.
  • The South Korean President warned that the world is in a ‘period of poly-crisis encompassing geo-political competition, spiraling inflation and continuation of the protracted war with Ukraine’.

G20 Summit 2023: India’s Challenges and Strategic Concerns

• West’s Preference for China: Many in the West view China’s situation of ‘debt deflation and demographic decline’ as an opportunity.
• Viewed as a member of Anti-China Grouping: India’s membership of the Quad is openly accepted as a key grouping in the anti-China view at G20 Summit 2023.

Also read: India-China Relationship

G20 Summit 2023: The Battle for Influence – NATO vs. China-Russia Blocs

• Changing Character of the G20 Summit 2023:  Contrary to the role of G-20 during the 2008-09 economic crisis, its focus has now shifted more to the global political conflicts and less on the nature of the global economic landscape. 
  • Many analysts believe that under the G20 summit 2023, a subterranean conflict is being waged today by two opposing blocs to alter the balance of power (one led by the West and the other by China-Russia).
  • The ‘rules-based world order’, has become a ‘catch-all phrase’ of merely one segment as viewed in the return of two antagonistic blocs, and shrinking space for the non-aligned.
• The First Bloc- Expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): With 31 members, new NATO is set to become even more dependent on the U.S. for military supplies and capabilities, to be able to act as a bulwark against ‘Russian expansionism’. 
• Japan and South Korea are already under the West’s influence and now Australia has become a key partner in the U.S.-led alliance in the Southern Hemisphere.
• The Second Bloc- Russia and China are deepening their ‘strategic alignment’.
  • Countries such as North Korea are also deepening their relationship with this bloc.
  • China is exploiting its frontage in the Pacific Ocean to openly challenge U.S. naval power.
  • Russia and Türkiye have deepened their relationship based on shared interests and personal friendship.
  • Russia is again seeking to expand its footprint in Africa, and Russia’s recent agreement to supply food grains to African States at subsidized prices, or even for free, is aimed towards this end.

Also read: India-Russia Bilateral Relations

Conclusion

G20 Summit 2023 was the eighteenth meeting of G20 (Group of Twenty). It was conducted in Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition-Convention Centre, New Delhi on 9–10 September 2023. It was the first G20 summit held in India. In a world characterized by the growing strength of rival factions with distinct visions for the international order, there is a sense of apprehension about the future. India, which is a founder-member of the G-20, formed in 1999 as a grouping of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, today, is amongst the leaders whose word counts. What India Presidencies showed, is believed that a better outcome could not have been wished for.