G-20 chair India says bloc members reach consensus on many issues

NEW DELHI – Foreign ministers from the Group of 20 (G-20) nations arrived at a consensus on many issues after a meeting in New Delhi and focused on what “unites” them, G-20 chair India said on Thursday, even though the Russia-Ukraine war overshadowed the discussions. 

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said G-20 member states could not “reconcile positions” on Ukraine and “there were divergences” on issues related to the conflict. 

He added that the “outcome document” of the meeting would stress the importance of reliable food and fertiliser supply chains and of a resilient energy supply.

Earlier on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on world leaders to find common ground on divisive issues, as he inaugurated the G-20 ministerial meeting.

“We should not allow issues that we cannot resolve together to come in the way of those we can,” Mr Modi said in a video message that was broadcast before the first session of the foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is set to dominate the meeting

of the world’s top diplomats, with host India labouring to avoid the discord that ended its last G-20 meeting.

“We must all acknowledge that multilateralism is in crisis today,” Mr Modi said in his recorded statement. “The experience of the last few years – financial crisis, climate change, pandemic, terrorism and wars – clearly shows that global governance has failed.”

While India shares Western concerns about China, it is also a major buyer of Russian arms and has ramped up Russian oil imports.

India has not condemned the Ukraine invasion, although Mr Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2022 that this was “not a time for war”, in comments seen as a rebuke to Moscow.

Mr Modi implored G-20 delegates to make the meeting a success, while tacitly acknowledging the bloc’s deep divisions over the conflict.

Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked for Mr Modi’s help in facilitating “just peace” in Ukraine.

“We both share the hope that India as G-20 president can play a central role in facilitating negotiations towards a ceasefire and a just peace,” Ms Meloni told reporters at a joint briefing with Mr Modi, praising him for “having the highest approval ratings in the world”.

Mr Modi said India was ready to contribute to efforts to restore peace.

“From the start of the Ukraine conflict, India has made it clear that this dispute can only be solved through dialogue and diplomacy, and India is fully ready to contribute to any peaceful response,” he said. BLOOMBERG, AFP, REUTERS