New Delhi: In a historic development, the New Delhi Declaration was adopted on Saturday by the leaders of the G20 leaders during the Leader’s Summit here in the national capital.
The biggest takeaway of the declaration was that all 83 paras of the declaration were passed unanimously with a 100 per cent consensus along with China and Russia in agreement. For the first time, the declaration contained no footnote or Chair’s Summary.
Also, the declaration being the most ambitious, contained 112 outcomes — both the outcomes and annexed documents — which is two-and-a-half- times more than any other.
PM Modi made the announcement and congratulated the Sherpas and ministers who had worked towards forging the consensus.
“I have received good news. Due to the hard work of our team, consensus has been built on New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration. My proposal is to adopt this leadership declaration. I announce to adopt this declaration. On this occasion, I congratulate my Sherpa, ministers, who worked hard for it and made it possible,” he said.
Addressing the press briefing today Sherpa Amitabh Kant said, “When we started the presidency, PM Modi said that India’s presidency should be inclusive, decisive, and action-oriented. The New Delhi Declaration has 83 paras in all, and all 83 paras have 100 per cent consensus across all countries. There are eight paras on geopolitical issues titled ‘Planet, People, Peace and Prosperity’. All those eight pars have 100 per cent consensus”.
“All countries have unanimously supported the New Delhi Leaders Declaration. This is one declaration without a single footnote and without any Chairs Summary. This is a complete statement with 100 per cent unanimity,” Kant said.
He further said that this demonstrates both the Prime Minister and India’s “great ability” to bring all developing countries, all emerging markets, all developed countries, China, Russia, and everybody together on the same table and bring consensus.
“Secondly, this has been the most ambitious presidency in history ever, because the number of outcomes it has, both the outcomes and annexed documents it has is 112, which is more than two-and-a-half times than what has ever been achieved before,” he further said.
Another big takeaway of the declaration was the launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance.
PM Modi said that it marks a watershed moment in India’s quest towards sustainability and clean energy.
“The launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance marks a watershed moment in our quest towards sustainability and clean energy. I thank the member nations who have joined this Alliance,” PM Modi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance marks a watershed moment in our quest towards sustainability and clean energy.
I thank the member nations who have joined this Alliance. https://t.co/3wgUkmKCyA pic.twitter.com/MOmP1q6g2r
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 9, 2023
PM Modi on Saturday launched the Global Biofuels Alliance in the presence of US President Joe Biden, President of Brazil Luiz Inacio, President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández and Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni.
The Global Biofuel Alliance is one of the priorities under India’s G20 Presidency.
Brazil, India, and the United States, as leading biofuel producers and consumers, will work together during the next few months towards the development of a Global Biofuels Alliance along with other interested countries.
This Alliance will be aimed at facilitating cooperation and intensifying the use of sustainable biofuels, including in the transportation sector. It will place emphasis on strengthening markets, facilitating global biofuels trade, developing concrete policy lesson-sharing and providing technical support for national biofuels programs worldwide.
It will also emphasize the already implemented best practices and success cases.
Another major takeaway was the announcement launch of a mega India-Middle East-Europe shipping and railway connectivity corridor by India, the US, Saudi Arabia and the European Union.
The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEE EC) will encourage and provide impetus to economic development through enhanced connectivity and economic integration between Asia, West Asia/Middle East and Europe.
The corridor will consist of two separate corridors (i) East Corridor connecting India to West Asia/Middle East and (ii) Northern Corridor connecting West Asia/Middle East to Europe.
It will include a rail line that, which upon completion, will provide a reliable and cost-effective cross-border ship-to-rail transit network to supplement the existing multi-modal transport routes enhancing transshipment of goods and services between South East Asia through India to West Asia/Middle East Europe.
Notably, India stands to gain significantly as it places India firmly on the route of trade flows from South East Asia to the Gulf, West Asia and Europe, giving us significant strategic and economic advantage, besides creating huge opportunities in the logistics and transportation sector.
It also provides a faster and cheaper transit option giving a boost to trade and exports. It can be developed as a green corridor enhancing the green transition objectives, strengthening India’s standing in the region and allowing its companies to participate on an equal footing in infrastructure construction. The corridor will also secure supply chains, generate jobs and improve trade facilitation and accessibility.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi addressed session 1 ‘One Earth’ of the G20 Summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi and said that India as the ‘Mother of Democracy’ is a land of the diversity of faith, spirituality and traditions.
“India is a land of diversity of faith, spirituality and traditions. Many major religions of the world were born here, and every religion of the world has found respect here. As the ‘Mother of Democracy,’ our belief in dialogue and democratic principles has been unwavering since time immemorial. Our global conduct is rooted in the fundamental principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ which means ‘world is one family’,” PM Modi said.
He also laid emphasis on the challenge of climate change and energy transition and called it a significant need of the 21st-century world.
Remembering, the historic success of Chandrayaan-3, Prime Minister Modi said that the data obtained from it will be beneficial for all of humanity. He also proposed the launch of the ‘G20 Satellite Mission for Environment and Climate Observation’.
Earlier, in his opening statement at the G20 Summit, PM Modi spoke of global challenges and said ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’ can be the torch bearer to address these.
He further noted that India’s G20 Presidency has become a symbol of inclusion both inside and outside the country, adding that it has become “People’s G20” in India and crores of citizens are connected with it.
“India’s G20 presidency has become a symbol of inclusion, of ‘Sabka Saath’ both inside and outside the country. This has become the People’s G20 in India. Crores of Indians are connected to this. In more than 60 cities of the country, more than 200 meetings have taken place. With the sense of ‘Sabka Saath’, India had proposed that the African Union be granted permanent membership of G20. I believe that all of us agree to this proposal,” he said. 
At the beginning of his speech, PM Modi expressed his condolences over the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco.
“Before we start the proceedings of G20, I want to express my condolences over the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco. We pray that all injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time.”
PM Modi also invited the head of the African Union to take his seat as a member of the G20.
Notably, a major and historic takeaway of India’s presidency of the G20 Summit has been the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the Group of 20 (G20).
“With everyone’s approval, I request the African Union Chairperson to take his seat as a permanent G20 member,” PM Modi said welcoming the AU at G20.
African Union’s inclusion in G20 was among India’s key priorities in the G20 summit under its presidency. African Union’s inclusion in the G20 grouping was proposed by PM Modi in June this year.
Following PM Modi’s announcement, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar accosted the President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Azali Assoumani as he took his seat among world leaders.
Adding the African Union as a member of G20 was among India’s key aims to achieve during the ongoing G20 summit. African Union is a continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa.
The move to include the African Union in the G20 grouping was proposed by PM Modi earlier this June.
In June 2023, Prime Minister Modi said that he had written to G20 counterparts to provide the African Union with full membership at this G20 Summit.
In a recent editorial that has been published in newspapers, PM Modi wrote “The voice of Global South Summit, which witnessed participation from 125 countries, was one of the foremost initiatives under our Presidency. It was an important exercise to gather inputs and ideas from the Global South. Further, our Presidency has not only seen the largest-ever participation from African countries but has also pushed for the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20.”
The theme of this year’s G20 Summit, which is taking place under India’s presidency is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth · One Family · One Future”. Notably, India assumed the G20 Presidency on December 1 last year.
