Support for India's 'positive agenda' at G20, Ukraine remains sticky issue

India's focus on inclusive global growth, its push for having a framework for debt restructuring and priorities for sustainable development are finding resonance among the G20 nations but political heavy-lifting may be required to build consensus on the Ukraine conflict, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.

The top negotiators from the G20 countries on Thursday began intense discussions at the three-day Sherpas' meeting on a draft communique that is set to take the shape of the leaders' declaration to be adopted at the G20 Summit on September 9 and 10 in New Delhi.

There has been sharp differences between the West and the Russia-China combine on the text relating to the Ukraine crisis.

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In the text of the draft communique, two paragraphs on the Ukraine conflict were taken from G20 leaders' Bali declaration that was unveiled in November.

Both Russia and China had agreed to the two paragraphs on Ukraine conflict in the Bali declaration, but they backtracked from it this year creating difficulties for India to build consensus on the tricky issue.

The people cited above said the G7 countries were more or less agreeable to the formulations used at the Bali summit.

There has been no consensus yet on the text relating to the Ukraine conflict despite India's consistent efforts.

Efforts are on to reflect the views of all sides and nobody wants to paralyse the process. Some heavy-lifting may be required depending on the evolving situation, said the people.

The G20 operates under the principle of consensus.

The people cited said Indian presidency's priorities for inclusive global growth, its focus on a framework for debt restructuring and priorities for sustainable development and climate financing are finding support from other member nations.

On the specifics of the proposed framework for debt restructuring, they said China has not been very forthcoming.

The G20 under India's presidency is looking at solutions for real problems facing the globe and all sides are trusting New Delhi to take forward the "positive agenda".

India is also pitching for women-led development approach, backing concrete action to boost cooperation in the area of digital public infrastructure, technological transformation and climate financing among others.

Under its presidency, India has also been highlighting the challenges facing the Global South.

In January, India hosted the Voice of the Global South Summit with an aim to highlight the problems and challenges facing the developing countries.

The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies.

The members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

The grouping comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU).