Inclusive growth, Global South challenges at center of India's G20 priorities: S Jaishankar

India's G20 presidency aims to ensure inclusive and sustainable economic growth while focusing on challenges faced by countries in the Global South, a minister said on Thursday of External Affairs S Jaishankar. Responding to

Rajya Sabha questions, Jaishankar also listed technological change and public digital infrastructure, reforming multilateral institutions, women's development and international peace and harmony as top priorities for India's presidency.

India assumed the chairmanship of the influential G20 group at its annual summit in Bali in November and pledged to work to make the group a global force to project new ideas and accelerate joint action on pressing challenges.

India is hosting several events and meetings ahead of the G20 summit this year.

"The priorities of India's G20 presidency are inclusive and practical, with broad considerations that include inclusive and sustainable economic growth, progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, green environment and lifestyles, technological change and public digital infrastructure, reforming multilateral institutions, led by women. development and international peace and harmony,” said Jaishankar.

"We are trying to ensure that the contributions made at the Voice of the Global South Summit are taken into account around the world, including in the discussions of the G20," he said.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are a set of 17 interrelated goals designed to serve as a common blueprint for promoting world peace and prosperity.

India officially assumed the presidency of the G20 on December 1. Jaishankar said India's G20 presidency will have the largest ever African representation with six participants.

He said that in addition to South Africa, Egypt, Mauritius, Nigeria, the President of the African Union and the President of AUDA-NEPAD were invited to the G20 meetings and summit.

South Africa is a member of the G20 group. The African Union (AU) is an influential group of 55 member states that make up the countries of the African continent.

AUDA-NEPAD was established in 2010 to integrate the then Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) with the structures and processes of the African Union (AU).

Jaishankar said India has always been the voice of the Global South, including "friends and partners in Africa". On January 12 and 13, the Global South Summit took place in a virtual format in India, which focused on charting a new path for greater cooperation towards the implementation of the priorities of developing countries.

"India has always been the voice of the Global South, including our friends and partners in Africa," Jaishankar said. "While all decisions of the G20, including its membership, are taken on the basis of consensus among the G20 countries, India continues to strive for fair and balanced representation of developing countries in various multilateral fora," he added.