India: The Emerging 'Voice of the Global South' As India's G20 presidency

With its G20 presidency coming to an end this November, India has successfully positioned itself as the ‘Voice of the Global South’ or has it? Before we delve further, it’s essential to first understand certain terms. While economically developed countries such as the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia, Australia and New Zealand constitute Global North, Global South is used to refer to developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America who have had a history of colonization and underrepresentation at international forums. To address the challenges faced by Global South countries, various initiatives have been established, BRICS being one of them. This is also known as the ‘South-South Cooperation’.

So how has India walked the talk, when it comes to Global South? In its dealing with the outside world, India in recent years has been trying to play bigger roles in international politics and has advocated a level playing field in UN Security Council and other multi-national forums.

To quote EAM Dr S. Jaishankar, “Stress situations normally provide a good indicator of intent and behaviour. During the Covid (pandemic), Made-in-India vaccines were sent to about 100 countries. And about 150 nations imported medicines during this period from the Pharmacy of the World.” Likewise, Government of India also contributes troops to several UN Peacekeeping Missions and at present stands as the second largest military and police contributor after Bangladesh. It has already taken leadership in the ‘International Solar Alliance’ and Climate issues. Modi ji also announced five initiatives to support the development of other developing countries in “Voice of Global South Summit” hosted by India in January 2023. These initiatives included the willingness to share Indian expertise in areas such as space technology and nuclear energy, providing higher education opportunities in India for students from developing countries, etc. Furthermore, India’s efforts to add the African Union as a full member of the G20 has fundamentally altered the character of the platform, making it more inclusive and representative of the emerging global order. Citing the example of the Indian Institute of Technology’s first overseas campus being opened in Zanzibar, an African leader also recently pointed out how India has demonstrated a desire to export its success in skills development and technologies to Africa. A major international infrastructure project to connect India, the Middle East, and Europe with railways, shipping lines, high-speed data cables, and energy pipelines has been announced which will finally provide an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which was plunging nations into massive debt.

Undoubtedly, all of this has augmented India’s stature as a regional power and widened our prospects to lead the Global South. We have displayed matured diplomacy so far. Projections indicate that by 2030, three of the four largest economies will belong to Global South countries, with China and India leading the way. As the Global South continues to assert itself, it reshapes geopolitics, heralding a new era with balanced and equitable representation of the interests of developing nations in crucial global decision-making processes. India's leadership in the Global South presents numerous opportunities but it also carries responsibilities. India must navigate complex geopolitical relations and address its own domestic challenges, such as poverty, inequality, and environmental sustainability. To conclude, striking a balance between its domestic priorities and its role as a leader in the Global South is crucial!