India needs to ensure China, Russia and G7 countries come together to solve global issues: Shringla

PTI, Mar 18, 2023, 8:42 PM IST

Image credit: PTI / File

Pune: Polarization in the world is also reflected among the members of G20 but India, during its presidency, needs to ensure that they all come together to work on global issues such as climate change, former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Saturday.

Shringla, who is the Chief Coordinator for India’s G20 Presidency, was speaking at `G20 University Connect’ at Symbiosis International University here.

The theme or motto of G20 summit under India’s presidency, `Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (one world, one family) ”exemplifies the Indian foreign policies outreaching the whole world,” he said.

”The polarisation that exists in the world also cuts cross the G20 membership, so you have on the one hand the G7, the (United States of) America, Europe, Japan and Australia. On the other hand we have also got Russia and China,” the former diplomat said.

”We, as part of G20 presidency, need to work to make sure that Russia and China come together with G7 to work for issues which are important to the world,” he added.

India understands that there are strong differences between these countries but the world needs solutions to problems related to sustainable development, global debt, climate change, and global organizations need to be reformed for better trade and smoother movement of goods and services, he stated.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approach ”to integrate the countries” is valued globally, and it has helped India build a resilient economy during the pandemic, he said.

Transformation from a bipolar world to a multi-polar world will help global growth and uphold the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, he added.

G20 programs are not confined to just New Delhi but are spread across India, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and the Rann of Kuchh to the valleys of Arunachal Pradesh, Shringla said.