G20 Leaders Summit adopts New Delhi Declaration

PM urges world leaders to end "global trust deficit" : African Union becomes forum's permanent member

PTI, New Delhi, 9 September 2023 : In a major breakthrough, the G20 adopted the New Delhi Leaders Summit Declaration on Saturday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that consensus had been reached among member states. "Have just got the good news that due to the hard work of our teams and your cooperation, a consensus has been reached on New Delhi G20 Leaders Summit Declaration," Modi told the leaders while addressing the second session of the Summit at the Bharat Mandapam here.

"It is my proposal that this G20 Declaration be adopted," the prime minister said.

After the approval of the members, Modi said, "I announce the adoption of this Declaration".

"On this occasion I would like to thank our ministers, sherpas and all officials who made this possible with their hard work," he said.

With consensus eluding on the paragraph relating to the Ukraine conflict, India had on Friday circulated a draft Summit Declaration among the member countries without the paragraph on the geopolitical issue in an attempt to hammer out a positive outcome, according to diplomatic sources.

"The New Delhi Leaders Declaration has been officially adopted at the G20 India Leaders' Summit! Today's era must be marked as the golden age of human-centric globalisation and India's G20 Presidency under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi has worked tirelessly towards this goal," India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said on X.

"Historical and Path breaking G20 Declaration with 100% consensus on all developmental and geo-political issues. The new geopolitical paras are a powerful call for Planet, People, Peace and Prosperity in today's world. Demonstrates PM Narendra Modi leadership in today's world," he said.

The Prime Minister on Saturday urged world leaders to end a "global trust deficit" as India proposed a new text on the Ukraine crisis to break the impasse on G20 communique, and also announced that the African Union has been granted permanent membership of the grouping. 

All member countries of the G20 accepted Prime Minister Modi's proposal at the start of the forum's summit here to bring the 55- member African Union (AU) to the high table of the world's top economies in a significant milestone under India's G20 presidency. The Prime Minister said the African Union becoming a member will strengthen the G20 and also the voice of the Global South. 

The union collectively has a GDP of nearly USD 3 trillion and a population of around 1.4 billion. It is the first expansion of the G20 since its inception in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis. 

"It is time for all of us to walk together for global good," Modi said while addressing the 'One Earth' session of the 18th G20 summit and the first to be hosted by India. 

The leaders attending the two- day summit included US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Brazilian President Luiz In cio Lula da Silva. However, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are not attending the summit. 

"Following the Covid pandemic, the world faced a new challenge of trust deficit and unfortunately, the wars have further deepened this," he said while addressing the gathering at the swanky new exhibition-cum- convention centre Bharat Mandapam. "But we must remember that if we can defeat a pandemic like Covid, we can also win over the challenge of this trust deficit. Today, as the president of the G20, India calls upon the entire world to turn this global trust deficit into trust and confidence," said Modi, who was identified as the leader representing 'Bharat' at the summit. 

Modi said India's G20 presidency has become a symbol of inclusion and togetherness within and outside the country, as G20 leaders held deliberations on pressing global challenges under the shadow of the Ukraine war that has significantly fragmented the global geopolitical order.