News Analysis India

Tag: G20 summit

  • Putin to skip G20 Summit in Delhi, prepare for ‘special military operation’

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be travelling to Delhi to attend the G-20 summit, the Kremlin has confirmed.

    “President Putin is not planning a trip to the G20 Summit in India. His main emphasis is now a special military operation,” said President Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

    As of now, the G20 Summit will be totally an in-person event, and no hybrid facility is open for people who do not attend in person. Unless there is an exception provided for President Putin to attend the Summit virtually (if it happens that will be a last-minute announcement), Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, who will attend the Summit on Putin’s behalf will be a part of the meetings — like he did was during the last Summit in Bali.

    At present a few country leaders — US, Australia, Italy, Canada and South Korea — have confirmed their in-person participation. While PM Albanese was the first to confirm his participation, President Biden’s confirmation came just two days back.

    Since India is not a signatory of the International Criminal Court (ICC), President Putin would not have been arrested on his arrival. So, that is not the reason for him deciding again visiting Delhi. However, after the brief Wagner coup and the recent death of Wagner’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in an air crash, there is a lot Putin needs to handle on the home turf.

    “The speculation on President Putin being behind the ill-fated air crash is baseless. These are all total lies,” Peskov said adding that Putin had said all necessary evaluations will be conducted including DNA tests of passengers on board.

    Meanwhile, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President, Voldomyr Zelenskyy said that he was disappointed that Zelenskyy was excluded from the list of invites for the G20 Summit in Delhi.

    Russia, in the meantime, will have a busy year ahead as it has just taken over the chairship of the BRICS group and will host the next Summit in Kazan next year. With six additional countries that will become full-time members in January 2024, there is a lot that Russia would do to make the 16th BRICS Summit a success, a source added.

    NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be travelling to Delhi to attend the G-20 summit, the Kremlin has confirmed.

    “President Putin is not planning a trip to the G20 Summit in India. His main emphasis is now a special military operation,” said President Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

    As of now, the G20 Summit will be totally an in-person event, and no hybrid facility is open for people who do not attend in person. Unless there is an exception provided for President Putin to attend the Summit virtually (if it happens that will be a last-minute announcement), Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, who will attend the Summit on Putin’s behalf will be a part of the meetings — like he did was during the last Summit in Bali.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    At present a few country leaders — US, Australia, Italy, Canada and South Korea — have confirmed their in-person participation. While PM Albanese was the first to confirm his participation, President Biden’s confirmation came just two days back.

    Since India is not a signatory of the International Criminal Court (ICC), President Putin would not have been arrested on his arrival. So, that is not the reason for him deciding again visiting Delhi. However, after the brief Wagner coup and the recent death of Wagner’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in an air crash, there is a lot Putin needs to handle on the home turf.

    “The speculation on President Putin being behind the ill-fated air crash is baseless. These are all total lies,” Peskov said adding that Putin had said all necessary evaluations will be conducted including DNA tests of passengers on board.

    Meanwhile, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President, Voldomyr Zelenskyy said that he was disappointed that Zelenskyy was excluded from the list of invites for the G20 Summit in Delhi.

    Russia, in the meantime, will have a busy year ahead as it has just taken over the chairship of the BRICS group and will host the next Summit in Kazan next year. With six additional countries that will become full-time members in January 2024, there is a lot that Russia would do to make the 16th BRICS Summit a success, a source added.

  • Amid China’s ‘objection’ to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, India says it’s the inspiration for G20 theme

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Amid reports suggesting that China objected to the phrase ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ at a G20 meeting as it was in Sanskrit (which is not an official language of the UN), India on Friday said it was the inspiration for the theme of the G20 under India’s Presidency.

    “As you are aware, the theme of the G20 Presidency in English is One Earth One Family One Future. This is based on our civilisational ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam which has received widespread support and permeates many of the initiatives that India has brought to the G20 Agenda and this also finds a mention in the G20 logo which has the verse in Sanskrit and English,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday.

    In the outcome document after the G20 Energy Transistions Working Group meeting in Goa on 20th July, China apparently was reluctant to accept the phrase, arguing that Sanskrit was not recognised by the United Nations which has Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish as its official languages.

    However, sources point out that China was the only exception as the other members saw nothing wrong with it.

    ALSO READ | Advisories asking people to stay indoors likely as countdown to G20 Summit begins in Delhi

    Several members said that India as the chair of the G20 had the right to take a call on such matters.

    However, even though the objections were raised orally, the Sanskrit phrase has been retained in the logo and letterhead of each document but the final document only had the English version.

    Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is the theme of India’s G20 presidency. It is inspired from the Maha Upanishad, an old Sanskrit scripture. The theme fundamentally highlights the importance of all life—human, animal, plant, and microorganism—as well as their interdependence on Earth and across the universe. The theme also exemplifies LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), which highlights the importance of environmentally sustainable and responsible lifestyle choices, both at the individual and national level, in creating a cleaner, greener, and bluer future.

    The G20 Presidency also heralds for India the start of “Amritkaal,” a 25-year period commencing from the 75th anniversary of its independence on August 15, 2022, leading up to the centenary of its independence.

    Meanwhile, India is now gearing up for the G20 Summit to be held in Delhi on September 9th and 10th.

    NEW DELHI: Amid reports suggesting that China objected to the phrase ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ at a G20 meeting as it was in Sanskrit (which is not an official language of the UN), India on Friday said it was the inspiration for the theme of the G20 under India’s Presidency.

    “As you are aware, the theme of the G20 Presidency in English is One Earth One Family One Future. This is based on our civilisational ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam which has received widespread support and permeates many of the initiatives that India has brought to the G20 Agenda and this also finds a mention in the G20 logo which has the verse in Sanskrit and English,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday.

    In the outcome document after the G20 Energy Transistions Working Group meeting in Goa on 20th July, China apparently was reluctant to accept the phrase, arguing that Sanskrit was not recognised by the United Nations which has Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish as its official languages.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    However, sources point out that China was the only exception as the other members saw nothing wrong with it.

    ALSO READ | Advisories asking people to stay indoors likely as countdown to G20 Summit begins in Delhi

    Several members said that India as the chair of the G20 had the right to take a call on such matters.

    However, even though the objections were raised orally, the Sanskrit phrase has been retained in the logo and letterhead of each document but the final document only had the English version.

    Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is the theme of India’s G20 presidency. It is inspired from the Maha Upanishad, an old Sanskrit scripture. The theme fundamentally highlights the importance of all life—human, animal, plant, and microorganism—as well as their interdependence on Earth and across the universe. The theme also exemplifies LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), which highlights the importance of environmentally sustainable and responsible lifestyle choices, both at the individual and national level, in creating a cleaner, greener, and bluer future.

    The G20 Presidency also heralds for India the start of “Amritkaal,” a 25-year period commencing from the 75th anniversary of its independence on August 15, 2022, leading up to the centenary of its independence.

    Meanwhile, India is now gearing up for the G20 Summit to be held in Delhi on September 9th and 10th.

  • Delhi to hide thousands of stray dogs ahead of G20 Summit

    NEW DELHI: India’s capital will catch, sterilise and hide thousands of stray dogs roaming its streets as part of a campaign to clean up the megacity before it hosts next month’s G20 summit.

    New Delhi’s municipal government plans to use nets to trap the canines from dozens of locations including around boutique hotels and some of the city’s most impressive monuments and tourist hotspots, such as the 17th-century Red Fort.

    On Thursday authorities directed city employees to begin rounding up dogs for transport to local animal sterilisation centres “due to the G20 summit”.

    “All stray dogs picked up from these locations shall be kept… for their further care and feeding till the programme is over,” the order said.

    The Delhi metropolitan area, home to around 30 million people, has been on an intense beautification drive since India assumed the G20 presidency last year.

    Authorities have cleared illegal slums near summit venues and revamped major arterial routes on the city’s gridlocked roads ahead of September’s summit, which will host leaders of the world’s top economies.

    More than 60,000 stray dogs live on Delhi’s streets according to India’s Livestock Census of 2012, the most recent available government figures.

    Sterilisation campaigns have been regularly employed by local authorities to keep the canine population in check, though dog packs remain present in parks and residential neighbourhoods around the city.

    “These government people take them away to do sterilisation then bring them back again,” Mohmmad Irfan, a shopkeeper based near the city’s Jama Masjid mosque, told AFP.

    “They don’t have a permanent solution.”

    Beloved strays

    Many of Delhi’s strays are beloved by their adopted neighbourhoods despite lacking formal owners, with some dogs clothed in special canine jackets to keep warm during the city’s harsh winters.

    But they are also a hazard to humans, with local media regularly reporting on the mauling of young children by aggressive dog packs across the country.

    In 2018, angry villagers killed 13 stray dogs in Uttar Pradesh state after three children under the age of 12 were mauled to death on the same day.

    Roughly 17 million dog bites are reported across India each year and the World Health Organization says that nearly 20,000 people nationwide die of rabies annually.

    Delhi’s relocation plan risked dangerously agitating the dogs, Meet Ashar of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) told AFP.

    “They are not used to being handled and picked up with nets and being transported,” he said.

    “The next time they are approached by a human being, perhaps they could react in a defensive manner out of fear.”

    NEW DELHI: India’s capital will catch, sterilise and hide thousands of stray dogs roaming its streets as part of a campaign to clean up the megacity before it hosts next month’s G20 summit.

    New Delhi’s municipal government plans to use nets to trap the canines from dozens of locations including around boutique hotels and some of the city’s most impressive monuments and tourist hotspots, such as the 17th-century Red Fort.

    On Thursday authorities directed city employees to begin rounding up dogs for transport to local animal sterilisation centres “due to the G20 summit”.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “All stray dogs picked up from these locations shall be kept… for their further care and feeding till the programme is over,” the order said.

    The Delhi metropolitan area, home to around 30 million people, has been on an intense beautification drive since India assumed the G20 presidency last year.

    Authorities have cleared illegal slums near summit venues and revamped major arterial routes on the city’s gridlocked roads ahead of September’s summit, which will host leaders of the world’s top economies.

    More than 60,000 stray dogs live on Delhi’s streets according to India’s Livestock Census of 2012, the most recent available government figures.

    Sterilisation campaigns have been regularly employed by local authorities to keep the canine population in check, though dog packs remain present in parks and residential neighbourhoods around the city.

    “These government people take them away to do sterilisation then bring them back again,” Mohmmad Irfan, a shopkeeper based near the city’s Jama Masjid mosque, told AFP.

    “They don’t have a permanent solution.”

    Beloved strays

    Many of Delhi’s strays are beloved by their adopted neighbourhoods despite lacking formal owners, with some dogs clothed in special canine jackets to keep warm during the city’s harsh winters.

    But they are also a hazard to humans, with local media regularly reporting on the mauling of young children by aggressive dog packs across the country.

    In 2018, angry villagers killed 13 stray dogs in Uttar Pradesh state after three children under the age of 12 were mauled to death on the same day.

    Roughly 17 million dog bites are reported across India each year and the World Health Organization says that nearly 20,000 people nationwide die of rabies annually.

    Delhi’s relocation plan risked dangerously agitating the dogs, Meet Ashar of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) told AFP.

    “They are not used to being handled and picked up with nets and being transported,” he said.

    “The next time they are approached by a human being, perhaps they could react in a defensive manner out of fear.”

  • Amid row, India says journalists from all G20 countries including China welcome to cover summit

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: India will facilitate journalists from all G20 nations to cover the summit including those from China, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). This comes amid a row between India and China over the revoking of credentials of each other’s journalists. There is one Chinese journalist in India and two Indian journalists in China.

    “We have been holding G20 meetings which have been attended by foreign journalists. The journalists have to register and get accredited and visas are thereafter issued. We will be doing the same for journalists for the upcoming G20 Summit in September,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

    India has reiterated that foreign journalists, including Chinese, have been pursuing journalistic activities in India without limitations or difficulties in reporting.

    “Chinese journalists in India have no difficulties in reporting. However, Indian journalists in China have been operating with difficulties – such as not being permitted to hire locals as correspondents or journalists. Foreign media in India can freely hire local journalists to work for their bureaus. Indian journalists in China also face restrictions while getting access and travelling locally within China,” said Bagchi.

    India hopes that Chinese authorities facilitate the continued presence of Indian journalists in working and reporting from China. The two sides remain in touch regarding this issue.

    Meanwhile, the Chinese side alleges that their journalists in India have suffered unfair treatment.

    “Chinese journalists have suffered unfair and discriminatory treatment in India for long. In 2017, India had reduced the validity of visas for our journalists to three months and sometimes just one month and since 2020 India hasn’t approved Chinese journalists applications for being stationed in India. At present there is just one Chinese journalist in India, down from 14 in the past. As a result China has taken counter measures,” said China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning recently.

    China says that it would like to maintain communication with India under the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

    “We hope that India will work in the same direction with China and respond to our legitimate concerns and create conditions for restoring normal exchange between media organizations of both countries,” Ning said.

    India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has reiterated that India’s relationship with China is not normal.

    India and China have several issues with each other – the biggest being the stand-off at the LAC. The recently held 27th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) which was held in-person did talk about disengaging from the LAC and restoring peace.

    NEW DELHI: India will facilitate journalists from all G20 nations to cover the summit including those from China, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). This comes amid a row between India and China over the revoking of credentials of each other’s journalists. There is one Chinese journalist in India and two Indian journalists in China.

    “We have been holding G20 meetings which have been attended by foreign journalists. The journalists have to register and get accredited and visas are thereafter issued. We will be doing the same for journalists for the upcoming G20 Summit in September,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

    India has reiterated that foreign journalists, including Chinese, have been pursuing journalistic activities in India without limitations or difficulties in reporting.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “Chinese journalists in India have no difficulties in reporting. However, Indian journalists in China have been operating with difficulties – such as not being permitted to hire locals as correspondents or journalists. Foreign media in India can freely hire local journalists to work for their bureaus. Indian journalists in China also face restrictions while getting access and travelling locally within China,” said Bagchi.

    India hopes that Chinese authorities facilitate the continued presence of Indian journalists in working and reporting from China. The two sides remain in touch regarding this issue.

    Meanwhile, the Chinese side alleges that their journalists in India have suffered unfair treatment.

    “Chinese journalists have suffered unfair and discriminatory treatment in India for long. In 2017, India had reduced the validity of visas for our journalists to three months and sometimes just one month and since 2020 India hasn’t approved Chinese journalists applications for being stationed in India. At present there is just one Chinese journalist in India, down from 14 in the past. As a result China has taken counter measures,” said China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning recently.

    China says that it would like to maintain communication with India under the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.

    “We hope that India will work in the same direction with China and respond to our legitimate concerns and create conditions for restoring normal exchange between media organizations of both countries,” Ning said.

    India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has reiterated that India’s relationship with China is not normal.

    India and China have several issues with each other – the biggest being the stand-off at the LAC. The recently held 27th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) which was held in-person did talk about disengaging from the LAC and restoring peace.

  • Security up as 15 foreign, 50 Indian delegates arrive in Puducherry for G-20

    Express News Service

    PUDUCHERRY:  Security was beefed up on main roads across Puducherry in view of the Science-20 (S-20) Inception Meeting at Suganya Convention Centre on January 30 and 31. Around 37 NDRF personnel were deployed on Airport Road in  Lawspet, ECR from Karuvadikuppam to Rajiv Gandhi statue, 100-ft Road, Cuddalore Road, Kamaraj Salai, and Anna Salai.

    Police, Indian Reserve Battalion, along with fire and rescue personnel are on standby. Section 144 had been implemented in these areas, and a mock security drill was performed on Saturday. 

    Elaborate arrangements are underway as delegates began arriving in the Union Territory on Sunday morning. Major buildings including the Assembly, Chief Secretariat, and Raj Nivas were decorated with lights and welcome banners. Two hotels in Puducherry town and a beach resort in Chinna Veerampattinam were booked for accommodation, said a senior government official.

    Around 50 delegates from academic institutions across the nation are set to participate. Meanwhile, 15 foreign delegates from 10 other G-20 countries — Australia, Brazil, China, European Union, France, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, Russia, United Kingdom, and the USA — will take part in the summit, said a press release. 

    “India, as the president of G-20, aspires to make the meet ‘inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented as exhorted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The S-20 agenda reflects this principle in the use of science for inclusive and sustainable development,” the statement said.  

    The summit, based on the theme of ‘Disruptive Science for Innovative and Sustainable Development’, will focus on three areas — clean energy for a greener future, universal holistic health, and connecting science to society and culture. “The S-20 will catalyse fruitful scientific dialogue between the G20 member states and provide constructive solutions for global problems,” said the statement.

    Subsequent meetings would be held in Agartala in Sikkim, Bangaram Island in Lakshadweep, and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. The final summit is set to take place in Coimbatore. Dr Ashutosh Sharma, president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and co-chair of the summit explained the S-20 will focus on science and technology that would aid the growth of nations.“The participants will share and listen to inputs. This would be useful for the government in governance and planning.

     The meeting will start with comments from three countries: former G-20 president Indonesia, India, and the next president Brazil.” Citing the need for global cooperation to solve problems, Sharma mentioned that the G-20 provides a platform to aid collaboration. “Solution for major issues is a global matter and is not for one community or nation. Science and technology are going to be the main ingredients in solving the problems.” It may be noted the S-20 engagement group, comprising national science academies of the G-20 countries, had been initiated in 2017, during Germany’s presidency.

    PUDUCHERRY:  Security was beefed up on main roads across Puducherry in view of the Science-20 (S-20) Inception Meeting at Suganya Convention Centre on January 30 and 31. Around 37 NDRF personnel were deployed on Airport Road in  Lawspet, ECR from Karuvadikuppam to Rajiv Gandhi statue, 100-ft Road, Cuddalore Road, Kamaraj Salai, and Anna Salai.

    Police, Indian Reserve Battalion, along with fire and rescue personnel are on standby. Section 144 had been implemented in these areas, and a mock security drill was performed on Saturday. 

    Elaborate arrangements are underway as delegates began arriving in the Union Territory on Sunday morning. Major buildings including the Assembly, Chief Secretariat, and Raj Nivas were decorated with lights and welcome banners. Two hotels in Puducherry town and a beach resort in Chinna Veerampattinam were booked for accommodation, said a senior government official.

    Around 50 delegates from academic institutions across the nation are set to participate. Meanwhile, 15 foreign delegates from 10 other G-20 countries — Australia, Brazil, China, European Union, France, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, Russia, United Kingdom, and the USA — will take part in the summit, said a press release. 

    “India, as the president of G-20, aspires to make the meet ‘inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented as exhorted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The S-20 agenda reflects this principle in the use of science for inclusive and sustainable development,” the statement said.  

    The summit, based on the theme of ‘Disruptive Science for Innovative and Sustainable Development’, will focus on three areas — clean energy for a greener future, universal holistic health, and connecting science to society and culture. “The S-20 will catalyse fruitful scientific dialogue between the G20 member states and provide constructive solutions for global problems,” said the statement.

    Subsequent meetings would be held in Agartala in Sikkim, Bangaram Island in Lakshadweep, and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. The final summit is set to take place in Coimbatore. Dr Ashutosh Sharma, president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and co-chair of the summit explained the S-20 will focus on science and technology that would aid the growth of nations.“The participants will share and listen to inputs. This would be useful for the government in governance and planning.

     The meeting will start with comments from three countries: former G-20 president Indonesia, India, and the next president Brazil.” Citing the need for global cooperation to solve problems, Sharma mentioned that the G-20 provides a platform to aid collaboration. “Solution for major issues is a global matter and is not for one community or nation. Science and technology are going to be the main ingredients in solving the problems.” It may be noted the S-20 engagement group, comprising national science academies of the G-20 countries, had been initiated in 2017, during Germany’s presidency.

  • January will be dotted with G20 events across the country

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The spotlight will be on India for a major part of 2023, especially during the over 200 meetings that have been slated to be held under India’s G20 Presidency. January will be a busy date as working group meetings would be held across ten different locations and in addition, there would be one virtual meeting.

    “The events will be held across different parts of the country under different segments. Kolkata will host the first meeting on global partnership for financial inclusion between the 9th and 11th. A working group meeting will be held on health in Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai will host a meeting on education, while Guwahati will host the first sustainable financial meeting and Chandigarh will host the first financial architecture meeting,” said sources.

    Identifying the venue, and ensuring the safety and comfort of all the delegations was a long and arduous process.

    The G20 events in India are being held in a centralised way, unlike what was being done in Indonesia, where each event was handled by a different set of departments/officials.

    “We have ensured that the delegates are comfortable, whilst they visit different places in India. All venues were inspected before they got the go-ahead for hosting these events. Adequate arrangements have been made for their security and comfort too. We would hope that they take back memories of India which they share back home,” said sources.

    During the month of January, a virtual meeting will be held on the 17th and 18th on the digital economy. This is likely to attract more participants.

    The ten physical meetings that have been slated for January will be held in Kolkata, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhopal, Gandhinagar, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Chandigarh and Chennai.

    “Visitors will be able to savour local delicacies through specialised chefs and artisans will also display their ware. The venues where these delegates will be hosted will be blocked for only the G20 to ensure privacy,” sources added.

    NEW DELHI: The spotlight will be on India for a major part of 2023, especially during the over 200 meetings that have been slated to be held under India’s G20 Presidency. January will be a busy date as working group meetings would be held across ten different locations and in addition, there would be one virtual meeting.

    “The events will be held across different parts of the country under different segments. Kolkata will host the first meeting on global partnership for financial inclusion between the 9th and 11th. A working group meeting will be held on health in Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai will host a meeting on education, while Guwahati will host the first sustainable financial meeting and Chandigarh will host the first financial architecture meeting,” said sources.

    Identifying the venue, and ensuring the safety and comfort of all the delegations was a long and arduous process.

    The G20 events in India are being held in a centralised way, unlike what was being done in Indonesia, where each event was handled by a different set of departments/officials.

    “We have ensured that the delegates are comfortable, whilst they visit different places in India. All venues were inspected before they got the go-ahead for hosting these events. Adequate arrangements have been made for their security and comfort too. We would hope that they take back memories of India which they share back home,” said sources.

    During the month of January, a virtual meeting will be held on the 17th and 18th on the digital economy. This is likely to attract more participants.

    The ten physical meetings that have been slated for January will be held in Kolkata, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhopal, Gandhinagar, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Chandigarh and Chennai.

    “Visitors will be able to savour local delicacies through specialised chefs and artisans will also display their ware. The venues where these delegates will be hosted will be blocked for only the G20 to ensure privacy,” sources added.

  • From gala dinner to excursion, iconic ASI sites to host G20 delegates 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: From Ajanta and Ellora Caves in Maharashtra to Qutub archaeological park in Delhi, India will showcase its centuries-old architectural heritage to G20 delegates by hosting excursions and gala dinners at many of the ASI sites, starting mid-December, official sources said.

    India assumed the year-long presidency of G20 on December 1. More than 200 meetings will be held in India across 55 locations. The first meeting of the G20 was held in the first week of December in Udaipur when the G20 Sherpa met.

    Besides, experiencing the rich cultural heritage and hospitality of Rajasthan, delegates were also taken on a half-day excursion to the Kumbhalgarh Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, officials said.

    “Now, an itinerary has been drawn for the events that will take place at some of the very well-known ASI sites from December-March as part of the G20 meetings in India to showcase our cultural and architectural wealth to the delegates. These events will include excursions and gala dinners hosted with a monument in the backdrop,” an official source told PTI.

    The event lined up at a centrally-protected site, immediately after the Sherpa meet in Udaipur, is a half-day excursion for delegates to Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra from December 12-15, he said.

    And, tentatively, the shortlisted monuments for delegation-level visit also include Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple in Karnataka, and a gala dinner, the source said, adding, the itinerary for the December-March period only is known so far.

    There are a total of 3,693 heritage sites in India protected under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which falls within the purview of the Union Ministry of Culture.

    The planned G20 meetings are to be hosted not just in big metros but even in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and the ASI too is gearing up to put its best foot forward.ALSO READ | Taste of India at G20 events with bit of Yoga, sip of herbal tea

    “The idea behind the excursions or gala dinners at heritage sites is to bring focus on our built heritage, spanning centuries, as also to give the G20 delegates an extraordinary experience — recreational, cultural and culinary. The menu for gala dinners will also be carefully chosen,” a senior official said on the condition of anonymity.

    The tentative itinerary for the first three months of 2023 begins with visits to sites in Pune in mid-January (January 16-17), followed by a half-day visit to Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh (January 19-20), the sources said.

    In Pune, delegates will see the stunning Aga Khan Palace, Shaniwar Wada and Shivneri Fort. G20 delegates will get to see the architectural and cultural diversity of India from all corners of the country, and from January 23-24, they will immerse themselves in heritage experience in Gujarat, they said.

    “Site visits in Gujarat include Rani ki Vav in Patan, Sun Temple in Modhera, Teen Darwaza or Tripolia Gate in Ahmedabad and Adalaj Stepwell near Gandhinagar,” the source said, adding the three-month itinerary is tentative and there could be a few changes later.

    Around January 28, a half-day visit will be organised for delegates to Charminar and Golconda Fort in Hyderabad. From January 31-February 2, they will be hosted at the famous Shore Temple of Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu.

    “Choosing a cultural site for a meeting of any nature immediately brings a spotlight on that heritage, and these delegates when they will return will also talk about the cultural wealth of India in their own countries, and thus strengthen bonds too. Delegates sharing pictures from cultural sites on social media also helps promotes Indian culture abroad,” the official said. India hosting the G20 as its chair and the ASI getting an opportunity to host the delegates is a “proud moment for all of us,” he added.ALSO READ |Advaita, G20 and the chasm between illusion and reality

    In early February, a half-day excursion has been planned for the delegates to Mandore Fort and Mandore Garden in Rajasthan. From February 8-9, they will pay a visit to the grand Taj Mahal in Agra, the official said.

    “Mid-February, the cultural stage will shift to Maharashtra again, with Ajanta and Ellora Caves playing the host for G20 delegates from February 13-14. A gala dinner will be hosted in the lawns of the premises with the caves in the backdrop,” he said. Around February 13-15, many delegates will also visit Lucknow to see the famed Imambara and the Residency.

    “Later that month, an excursion for them will take place in Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh from February 23-25, and a gala dinner has been planned there too,” the official said.

    Cultural sites are playing an important role during India’s Presidency of the G20, as seen in Udaipur too, and the ASI had lit up its 100 iconic sites across India from December 1-7, bearing the G20 logo to mark the occasion when India assumed the chair of the influential bloc.

    In March, the focus will shift to Delhi and an excursion will be hosted at Qutub archaeological park, tentatively from March 1-2, the sources said. A gala dinner has also been planned at Mandu Fort in Madhya Pradesh as visits to Dholavira, and again a visit to Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple in Karnataka, they said. From March 6-7, full-day excursions have been planned for delegates to Nalanda university ruins, Rajgir and Gaya in Bihar, the sources said.

    Later that month, the itinerary also mentions a Kerala visit from March 22-24, and sites include Mattancherry Palace, St Francis Church in Kochi, and again at Elephanta Caves from March 28-30, followed by a Gujarat excursion again from March 30-April 1, they said.ALSO READ | Climate to be ‘big focus’ as India assumes G20 presidency

    NEW DELHI: From Ajanta and Ellora Caves in Maharashtra to Qutub archaeological park in Delhi, India will showcase its centuries-old architectural heritage to G20 delegates by hosting excursions and gala dinners at many of the ASI sites, starting mid-December, official sources said.

    India assumed the year-long presidency of G20 on December 1. More than 200 meetings will be held in India across 55 locations. The first meeting of the G20 was held in the first week of December in Udaipur when the G20 Sherpa met.

    Besides, experiencing the rich cultural heritage and hospitality of Rajasthan, delegates were also taken on a half-day excursion to the Kumbhalgarh Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, officials said.

    “Now, an itinerary has been drawn for the events that will take place at some of the very well-known ASI sites from December-March as part of the G20 meetings in India to showcase our cultural and architectural wealth to the delegates. These events will include excursions and gala dinners hosted with a monument in the backdrop,” an official source told PTI.

    The event lined up at a centrally-protected site, immediately after the Sherpa meet in Udaipur, is a half-day excursion for delegates to Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra from December 12-15, he said.

    And, tentatively, the shortlisted monuments for delegation-level visit also include Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple in Karnataka, and a gala dinner, the source said, adding, the itinerary for the December-March period only is known so far.

    There are a total of 3,693 heritage sites in India protected under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which falls within the purview of the Union Ministry of Culture.

    The planned G20 meetings are to be hosted not just in big metros but even in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and the ASI too is gearing up to put its best foot forward.ALSO READ | Taste of India at G20 events with bit of Yoga, sip of herbal tea

    “The idea behind the excursions or gala dinners at heritage sites is to bring focus on our built heritage, spanning centuries, as also to give the G20 delegates an extraordinary experience — recreational, cultural and culinary. The menu for gala dinners will also be carefully chosen,” a senior official said on the condition of anonymity.

    The tentative itinerary for the first three months of 2023 begins with visits to sites in Pune in mid-January (January 16-17), followed by a half-day visit to Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh (January 19-20), the sources said.

    In Pune, delegates will see the stunning Aga Khan Palace, Shaniwar Wada and Shivneri Fort. G20 delegates will get to see the architectural and cultural diversity of India from all corners of the country, and from January 23-24, they will immerse themselves in heritage experience in Gujarat, they said.

    “Site visits in Gujarat include Rani ki Vav in Patan, Sun Temple in Modhera, Teen Darwaza or Tripolia Gate in Ahmedabad and Adalaj Stepwell near Gandhinagar,” the source said, adding the three-month itinerary is tentative and there could be a few changes later.

    Around January 28, a half-day visit will be organised for delegates to Charminar and Golconda Fort in Hyderabad. From January 31-February 2, they will be hosted at the famous Shore Temple of Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu.

    “Choosing a cultural site for a meeting of any nature immediately brings a spotlight on that heritage, and these delegates when they will return will also talk about the cultural wealth of India in their own countries, and thus strengthen bonds too. Delegates sharing pictures from cultural sites on social media also helps promotes Indian culture abroad,” the official said. India hosting the G20 as its chair and the ASI getting an opportunity to host the delegates is a “proud moment for all of us,” he added.ALSO READ |Advaita, G20 and the chasm between illusion and reality

    In early February, a half-day excursion has been planned for the delegates to Mandore Fort and Mandore Garden in Rajasthan. From February 8-9, they will pay a visit to the grand Taj Mahal in Agra, the official said.

    “Mid-February, the cultural stage will shift to Maharashtra again, with Ajanta and Ellora Caves playing the host for G20 delegates from February 13-14. A gala dinner will be hosted in the lawns of the premises with the caves in the backdrop,” he said. Around February 13-15, many delegates will also visit Lucknow to see the famed Imambara and the Residency.

    “Later that month, an excursion for them will take place in Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh from February 23-25, and a gala dinner has been planned there too,” the official said.

    Cultural sites are playing an important role during India’s Presidency of the G20, as seen in Udaipur too, and the ASI had lit up its 100 iconic sites across India from December 1-7, bearing the G20 logo to mark the occasion when India assumed the chair of the influential bloc.

    In March, the focus will shift to Delhi and an excursion will be hosted at Qutub archaeological park, tentatively from March 1-2, the sources said. A gala dinner has also been planned at Mandu Fort in Madhya Pradesh as visits to Dholavira, and again a visit to Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple in Karnataka, they said. From March 6-7, full-day excursions have been planned for delegates to Nalanda university ruins, Rajgir and Gaya in Bihar, the sources said.

    Later that month, the itinerary also mentions a Kerala visit from March 22-24, and sites include Mattancherry Palace, St Francis Church in Kochi, and again at Elephanta Caves from March 28-30, followed by a Gujarat excursion again from March 30-April 1, they said.ALSO READ | Climate to be ‘big focus’ as India assumes G20 presidency

  • PM Modi chairs all-party meeting to brief leaders on India’s G20 Presidency

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired an all-party meeting to underscore the significance of India’s presidency of the G20 and brief the leaders about the government’s approach.

    India formally assumed the G20 Presidency on December 1.

    Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were among the leaders present at the meeting.

    Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge of Congress, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik were among those present at the meeting which is taking place at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

    The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies. Last month, Indonesia handed over the G20 presidency to India in the presence of PM Modi at the Bali summit for the coming year.ALSO READ | Centre could have used any national symbol other than lotus for G20 logo: Mamata

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired an all-party meeting to underscore the significance of India’s presidency of the G20 and brief the leaders about the government’s approach.

    India formally assumed the G20 Presidency on December 1.

    Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were among the leaders present at the meeting.

    Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge of Congress, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik were among those present at the meeting which is taking place at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

    The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies. Last month, Indonesia handed over the G20 presidency to India in the presence of PM Modi at the Bali summit for the coming year.ALSO READ | Centre could have used any national symbol other than lotus for G20 logo: Mamata

  • PM Modi calls for end to war as India takes G20 presidency

    By AFP

    NEW DELHI: India opened its G20 presidency on Thursday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for an end to war, implicitly rebuking longstanding ally Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

    New Delhi and Moscow have ties dating back to the Cold War, and Russia remains by far India’s biggest arms supplier.

    India has shied away from explicit condemnations of Russia over the war despite its economy being stung by the soaring oil and commodities prices that followed.

    Modi has pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict, including at a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in September.

    He reiterated that call in an article outlining India’s ambitions for the G20 forum — of which Russia is a member — released by the government and published by the Telegraph newspaper in Britain.

    “Today, we do not need to fight for our survival – our era need not be one of war. Indeed, it must not be one!” Modi wrote.

    The invasion of Ukraine, a country known as the “breadbasket of Europe”, has periodically disrupted grain shipments and raised the spectre of a global food crisis.

    Modi said India would “seek to depoliticise the global supply of food, fertilizers and medical products so that geo-political tensions do not lead to humanitarian crises.”

    “As in our own families, those whose needs are the greatest must always be our first concern.”

    New Delhi has long walked a tightrope in its relations with the West and Moscow — and the Russian invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the difficulty of that balancing act.

    It has repeatedly brushed off calls from Washington to condemn Moscow, despite pursuing greater security ties with the United States.

    Putin visited New Delhi last year, bear-hugging Modi and hailing India as a “great power” as the two men bolstered military and energy ties. The Asian giant is also a major consumer of Russian oil, ramping up discounted purchases in the wake of a Western embargo.ALSO READ | Climate to be ‘big focus’ as India assumes G20 presidency

    NEW DELHI: India opened its G20 presidency on Thursday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for an end to war, implicitly rebuking longstanding ally Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

    New Delhi and Moscow have ties dating back to the Cold War, and Russia remains by far India’s biggest arms supplier.

    India has shied away from explicit condemnations of Russia over the war despite its economy being stung by the soaring oil and commodities prices that followed.

    Modi has pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict, including at a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in September.

    He reiterated that call in an article outlining India’s ambitions for the G20 forum — of which Russia is a member — released by the government and published by the Telegraph newspaper in Britain.

    “Today, we do not need to fight for our survival – our era need not be one of war. Indeed, it must not be one!” Modi wrote.

    The invasion of Ukraine, a country known as the “breadbasket of Europe”, has periodically disrupted grain shipments and raised the spectre of a global food crisis.

    Modi said India would “seek to depoliticise the global supply of food, fertilizers and medical products so that geo-political tensions do not lead to humanitarian crises.”

    “As in our own families, those whose needs are the greatest must always be our first concern.”

    New Delhi has long walked a tightrope in its relations with the West and Moscow — and the Russian invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the difficulty of that balancing act.

    It has repeatedly brushed off calls from Washington to condemn Moscow, despite pursuing greater security ties with the United States.

    Putin visited New Delhi last year, bear-hugging Modi and hailing India as a “great power” as the two men bolstered military and energy ties. The Asian giant is also a major consumer of Russian oil, ramping up discounted purchases in the wake of a Western embargo.ALSO READ | Climate to be ‘big focus’ as India assumes G20 presidency

  • Climate to be ‘big focus’ as India assumes G20 presidency

    By Associated Press

    BENGALURU: India officially takes up its role as chair of the Group of 20 leading economies for the coming year Thursday and it’s putting climate at the top of the group’s priorities.

    Programs to encourage sustainable living and money for countries to transition to clean energy and deal with the effects of a warming world are some of the key areas that India will focus on during its presidency, experts say. Some say India will also use its new position to boost its climate credentials and act as a bridge between the interests of industrialized nations and developing ones.

    The country has made considerable moves toward its climate goals in recent years but is currently one of the world’s top emitters of planet-warming gases.

    The G-20, made up of the world’s largest economies, has a rolling presidency with a different member state in charge of the group’s agenda and priorities each year. Experts believe India will use the “big stage” of the G-20 presidency to drive forward its climate and development plans.

    The country “will focus heavily on responding to the current and future challenges posed by climate change,” said Samir Saran, president of the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank. The ORF will be anchoring the T-20 — a group of think tanks from the 20 member countries whose participants meet alongside the G-20.

    Saran said that India will work to ensure that money is flowing from rich industrialized nations to emerging economies to help them combat global warming, such as a promise of $100 billion a year for clean energy and adapting to climate change for poorer nations that have not yet been fulfilled and a recent pledge to vulnerable countries that there will be a fund for the loss and damage caused by extreme weather.

    He added that India will also use the presidency to push its flagship “Mission Life” program that encourages more sustainable lifestyles in the country, which is set to soon become the most populous in the world.

    Push for renewable energy  

    India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, holds the gavel with Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo during the handover ceremony at the G20 Leaders’ Summit, in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia Nov. 16, 2022. (File Photo | AP)

    When outgoing chair Indonesia symbolically handed the presidency to India in Bali last month by passing the gavel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the opportunity to promote the program, saying it could make “a big contribution” by turning the sustainable living into “a mass movement.”

    The impact of lifestyle “has not received as much attention in the global discourse as it should,” said RR Rashmi, a distinguished fellow at The Energy Research Institute in New Delhi. He added that the issue “may get some prominence” at the G-20 which would be a success for the Indian government, but critics say the focus on lifestyle changes must be backed by policy to have credibility.

    India has been beefing up its climate credentials, with its recent domestic targets to transition to renewable energy more ambitious than the goals it submitted to the U.N. as part of the Paris Agreement, which requires countries to show how they plan to limit warming to temperature targets set in 2015.

    Analysts say nations’ climate ambitions and actions — including India’s — are not in line with temperature targets.

    Many of India’s big industrialists are investing heavily in renewable energy domestically as well as globally, but the Indian government is also preparing to invest in coal-based power plants at the cost of $33 billion over the next four years.

     A solar power plant in Pavagada Tumkur district, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, India, Sept. 15, 2022. (File Photo | AP)

    Overhauling climate finance

    At the U.N. climate conference last month, India — currently the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases — proposed a phaseout of all fossil fuels and repeatedly emphasized the need to revamp global climate finance. The country says it cannot reach its climate goals and reduce carbon dioxide emissions without significantly more finance from richer nations, a claim that those countries dispute.

    Navroz Dubash, the author of several U.N. climate reports and professor at the Centre for Policy Research, said that a key question for many countries is how “emerging economies address development needs and do it in a low carbon pathway” with several in the global south, like India, pointing to a need for outside investment.

    As the chair of the G-20, India is in a good position “to say what it will take for us to develop in ways that don’t lock up the remaining carbon budget,” Dubash added, referring to the amount of carbon dioxide the world can emit while still containing global warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) compared with preindustrial levels.

    “Developing countries are making a convincing case that green industrial policies are actually quite dependent on having public money to throw at the problems,” said Dubash. Some experts say more than $2 trillion is needed each year by 2030 to help developing countries cut emissions and deal with the effects of a warming climate, with $1 trillion from domestic sources and the rest coming from external sources such as developed countries or multilateral development banks.

    The sun sets behind a windmill farm in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India, Sept 14, 2022. (File Photo | AP)

    “This public money can also be a way of getting in private money, which is what the U.S. has done in its Inflation Reduction Act,” Dubash added. The U.S.’s flagship climate package that passed earlier this year includes incentives for building out clean energy infrastructure.

    The G-20 will also be looking closely at alternative means of getting climate finance, experts say. The group could potentially take a leaf out of the Bridgetown initiative proposed by the prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, which involves unlocking large sums of money from multilateral development banks and international financial institutions to help countries adapt to climate change and transition to cleaner energy.

    ORF’s Saran said that as G-20 chair India can help move forward the conversation on the initiative. Developing countries are often charged higher rates of interest when borrowing from global financial institutions. Rejigging global finance to make renewable energy more affordable in the developing world is key to curbing climate change, Saran said.

    The idea has recently gained traction amongst developed nations, with France’s Macron recently vocalizing his support. “A large share of emissions will come from the developing world in the future,” Saran said. “If we make it easier for them to shift to clean energy, then these emissions can be avoided.”

    BENGALURU: India officially takes up its role as chair of the Group of 20 leading economies for the coming year Thursday and it’s putting climate at the top of the group’s priorities.

    Programs to encourage sustainable living and money for countries to transition to clean energy and deal with the effects of a warming world are some of the key areas that India will focus on during its presidency, experts say. Some say India will also use its new position to boost its climate credentials and act as a bridge between the interests of industrialized nations and developing ones.

    The country has made considerable moves toward its climate goals in recent years but is currently one of the world’s top emitters of planet-warming gases.

    The G-20, made up of the world’s largest economies, has a rolling presidency with a different member state in charge of the group’s agenda and priorities each year. Experts believe India will use the “big stage” of the G-20 presidency to drive forward its climate and development plans.

    The country “will focus heavily on responding to the current and future challenges posed by climate change,” said Samir Saran, president of the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank. The ORF will be anchoring the T-20 — a group of think tanks from the 20 member countries whose participants meet alongside the G-20.

    Saran said that India will work to ensure that money is flowing from rich industrialized nations to emerging economies to help them combat global warming, such as a promise of $100 billion a year for clean energy and adapting to climate change for poorer nations that have not yet been fulfilled and a recent pledge to vulnerable countries that there will be a fund for the loss and damage caused by extreme weather.

    He added that India will also use the presidency to push its flagship “Mission Life” program that encourages more sustainable lifestyles in the country, which is set to soon become the most populous in the world.

    Push for renewable energy  

    India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, holds the gavel with Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo during the handover ceremony at the G20 Leaders’ Summit, in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia Nov. 16, 2022. (File Photo | AP)

    When outgoing chair Indonesia symbolically handed the presidency to India in Bali last month by passing the gavel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the opportunity to promote the program, saying it could make “a big contribution” by turning the sustainable living into “a mass movement.”

    The impact of lifestyle “has not received as much attention in the global discourse as it should,” said RR Rashmi, a distinguished fellow at The Energy Research Institute in New Delhi. He added that the issue “may get some prominence” at the G-20 which would be a success for the Indian government, but critics say the focus on lifestyle changes must be backed by policy to have credibility.

    India has been beefing up its climate credentials, with its recent domestic targets to transition to renewable energy more ambitious than the goals it submitted to the U.N. as part of the Paris Agreement, which requires countries to show how they plan to limit warming to temperature targets set in 2015.

    Analysts say nations’ climate ambitions and actions — including India’s — are not in line with temperature targets.

    Many of India’s big industrialists are investing heavily in renewable energy domestically as well as globally, but the Indian government is also preparing to invest in coal-based power plants at the cost of $33 billion over the next four years.

     A solar power plant in Pavagada Tumkur district, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, India, Sept. 15, 2022. (File Photo | AP)

    Overhauling climate finance

    At the U.N. climate conference last month, India — currently the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases — proposed a phaseout of all fossil fuels and repeatedly emphasized the need to revamp global climate finance. The country says it cannot reach its climate goals and reduce carbon dioxide emissions without significantly more finance from richer nations, a claim that those countries dispute.

    Navroz Dubash, the author of several U.N. climate reports and professor at the Centre for Policy Research, said that a key question for many countries is how “emerging economies address development needs and do it in a low carbon pathway” with several in the global south, like India, pointing to a need for outside investment.

    As the chair of the G-20, India is in a good position “to say what it will take for us to develop in ways that don’t lock up the remaining carbon budget,” Dubash added, referring to the amount of carbon dioxide the world can emit while still containing global warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) compared with preindustrial levels.

    “Developing countries are making a convincing case that green industrial policies are actually quite dependent on having public money to throw at the problems,” said Dubash. Some experts say more than $2 trillion is needed each year by 2030 to help developing countries cut emissions and deal with the effects of a warming climate, with $1 trillion from domestic sources and the rest coming from external sources such as developed countries or multilateral development banks.

    The sun sets behind a windmill farm in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India, Sept 14, 2022. (File Photo | AP)

    “This public money can also be a way of getting in private money, which is what the U.S. has done in its Inflation Reduction Act,” Dubash added. The U.S.’s flagship climate package that passed earlier this year includes incentives for building out clean energy infrastructure.

    The G-20 will also be looking closely at alternative means of getting climate finance, experts say. The group could potentially take a leaf out of the Bridgetown initiative proposed by the prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, which involves unlocking large sums of money from multilateral development banks and international financial institutions to help countries adapt to climate change and transition to cleaner energy.

    ORF’s Saran said that as G-20 chair India can help move forward the conversation on the initiative. Developing countries are often charged higher rates of interest when borrowing from global financial institutions. Rejigging global finance to make renewable energy more affordable in the developing world is key to curbing climate change, Saran said.

    The idea has recently gained traction amongst developed nations, with France’s Macron recently vocalizing his support. “A large share of emissions will come from the developing world in the future,” Saran said. “If we make it easier for them to shift to clean energy, then these emissions can be avoided.”