India is highly confident about a consensus being reached among different factions on the joint statement ahead of the G-20 Leaders’ Summit in September, officials close to the matter said on the sidelines of the 3rd Sherpa Meeting.
However, stumbling blocks remain, particularly Russia and China’s objection over the language used about the former’s conflict with Ukraine. “It's a mere technicality which will be bridged over,” they said.
Alternatives are being explored in the form of multiple formulations proposed by different members to aid India in bringing a fruitful conclusion to its G-20 presidency. As G-7 nations continue pushing for the Bali paragraphs criticising Russia to be included verbatim, the country is proposing that the economic impact of sanctions imposed by the West, and their impact on inflation and food security also be touched upon, sources said on the condition of anonymity.
The contentious paragraphs behind the current deadlock condemn the human and economic suffering emerging from “the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine,” after it launched a military attack on its neighbour early last year.
While Russia and China hadn’t opposed the language of the Bali declaration when it was issued last year, the delegations believe the situation has since changed. Russia is now suggesting that if the war is to be mentioned in the official communique, G20 should also discuss weapons supply by NATO to Ukraine, the military coalition's increased involvement in the conflict and also the root causes behind it, rather than just condemning the Russian side.
The country is also emphasising on the need for participating nations to come to a common ground to secure international peace for all without taking a bloc approach, as per sources, who noted that the forum is currently almost equally divided on the issue. However, there is consensus that India’s G20 presidency should not fail considering how heavily the country has invested in the summit. India on its part has been trying to put these contentions on the back burner and make delegates focus on development issues that affect the global south instead.
The first draft of the G20 Leaders’ statement has already been discussed in totality during the three-day summit in Hampi, said Indian Sherpa Amitabh Kant on Saturday. “G20 countries were in strong praise for India's ambition on delivering strong and action-oriented outcomes for the Leaders’ Summit,” he said.
Geopolitical issues were discussed informally and there are several ways the contentions are being looked at, as per Kant. Discussions are ongoing with various countries that have introduced several proposals, but “at this stage, we don't want to waste our time on just discussing geopolitics,” he added.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict had also taken centre-stage during Indonesia’s G-20 presidency last year, where India had played a pivotal role in negotiating the Bali Declaration. Now that India’s G-20 presidency is coming to a close in less than two months, the baton is set to be passed to Brazil, which would most likely be reluctant to carry this issue forward.