"WE HAVE MADE GOOD PROGRESS IN ADVANCING THE BROADER AGENDA"

Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Chief Coordinator for India's G20 presidency, holds forth on the country's priorities and more

- ANAND ADHIKARI

CO-ORDINATING RESOURCES, personnel, logistics and delegates from across the G20 (Group of 20) member states, invitee countries and international organisations for the 200 meetings in over 50 cities around the country across 32 different workstreams and spread over a year is no mean feat. But former foreign secretary and diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who is currently the Chief Coordinator for India’s G20 presidency, seems to be pulling off the task with aplomb. 

During a recent visit to Mumbai to attend a discussion at Gateway House, a foreign policy-focussed think tank, the 61-year-old Shringla, in a conversation with Business Today, spoke about India’s priorities during its G20 presidency, the progress achieved at various meetings held so far, and the role the country is playing in tackling issues of global importance. Edited excerpts:

As the Chief Coordinator for India’s G20 presidency, how do you plan to address the challenges posed by the current global geopolitical tensions, and the complexities of India-China relations?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised that our presidency should be inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented. The effort has been to address today’s global challenges. In our broad priorities, we have not only factored in the views of our partners in the G20, but also the hopes and aspirations of the developing world, the Global South. Our focus spans from accelerating resilient and inclusive growth to advancing SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), embracing digital transformation and public infrastructure, fostering sustainable development and addressing lifestyle issues for the environment and climate change, reforming multilateral institutions, and promoting women-led development.