Russia’s invasion of Ukraine potentially derails some of the immediate agenda. Widespread sanctions and condemnation have taken the conversation amid G20 countries off the topic of pandemic recovery and into near-term concerns about the status of Russia in its ranks.
India’s historic and security ties with Moscow and its developing partnership with the EU are in direct conflict. As the regional conflict heightens global fears of an eroding global order, India will be called upon to moderate its stance with Russia as well as steering a G20 agenda that seeks to hasten collective economic recovery.
While India is not seen as a likely moderator in calming tensions between member states like Jakarta, it can continue to play a productive role in bringing attention to the needs of countries in the global South, whose economies are both reeling and are hard-pressed to cope with crippling issues such as chronic youth unemployment, of which India itself is a victim. India can be a leader in coordinating development cooperation and using its growing influence in strengthening a multilateral approach to economic challenges.
From ‘Challenges for India’s G20 Presidency in 2023’, Geopolitical Monitor.