India's Leadership in Multilateral Forums From G20 to BRICS

In an era marked by multipolarity, fragmented globalisation, and shifting power dynamics, India has emerged not only as a stakeholder but as a steward of multilateral engagement.

- Shivani Rai

No longer content to occupy a peripheral seat at global forums, India now confidently shapes the architecture of international governance. Its leadership within the G20 and the BRICS consortium exemplifies a calibrated blend of normative ambition, strategic autonomy, and developmental pragmatism, offering a compelling model of 21st-century diplomacy rooted in inclusivity, balance, and reform.

From Rule-Taker to Rule-Shaper: India and the G20

India’s presidency of the G20 in 2023 marked a transformative moment in global diplomacy. Guided by the civilizational ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—“the world is one family” India moved beyond elite consensus toward a broader, more inclusive agenda. The theme, "One Earth, One Family, One Future," was not mere branding but a declaration of intent: to universalise developmental priorities, elevate concerns from the Global South, and democratise global decision-making.

“Our mantra of One Earth, One Family, One Future in the G20 will pave a path for global welfare.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Under India’s stewardship, the G20 witnessed the historic inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member, an inflection point that redefined the forum’s geopolitical scope. India also introduced previously marginalised issues into the core of G20 discussions. Digital public infrastructure, supported by India’s successful Aadhaar, UPI, and CoWIN platforms, was framed as a global public good—scalable, open-source, and transformative. Likewise, India championed a more equitable approach to climate finance, emphasising adaptation alongside mitigation and foregrounding the asymmetries in climate vulnerability between the Global North and South.

“No group can claim global leadership without listening to those most affected by its decisions.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, 2023