India has set the gold standard for a G20 presidency: I&B Secretary

I&B Secretary Apurva Chandra decodes the impact of India’s one-year presidency of the G20 ahead of the 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in New Delhi on September 9-10, Apurva Chandra, Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), tells Business Today how the one-year G20 presidency has helped the country bolster its image in the global arena, what it has to offer to the world, and thebenchmark India has set. 

Edited excerpts:

What has India’s presidency at the G20 meant and what has been achieved through this one year?

The G20 summit is the culmination of the efforts of the past one year. India has held various meetings of the working groups as well as the engagement groups. More than 50 cities, [and] almost all the states have been covered, and many delegates have come to India. A lot of deliberations have taken place on various issues. India has some things to contribute to the world. On the economic side, take for example digital public infrastructure (DPI). It is one of the biggest achievements [of the country]… in India billions of transactions take place seamlessly through DPI.

This infrastructure is led by the public sector and through the support of the government, whilein many other countries, even if such infrastructure is made, it is through private enterprise. And it is open architecture where everybody can join in. It is hugely empowering, and this is something we are contributing to the world. 

I think it is an effort of nine years [and] now the entire world is recognising that India has taken the lead. We are now the fifth largest economy, and three to four years down the line we will be the third-largest economy. The entire world is taking note of these achievements. 

Has India's voice as a credible, stable and democratic nation been enhanced as a result of the G20 presidency?

India has pushed a broad agenda of what we have done to showcase it to the world. And, I’m sure many of these things will form a part of the communiqué— the leaders’ declaration—when it happens on September 10. We are not privy to what the declaration will be as of now, but once it comes out, we will see the stamp of India. And once this declaration comes out, it becomes an agenda for all the countries to follow to implement over the next few years. So it is not just a question of one year. It is a continuous agenda that all the countries will follow. And that’s an important point.

The ongoing conflict andconsequent economic issues have been felt across the world. What can be expected as far as restoring a sense of order globally is concerned?

India’s position has been very clear and PrimeMinister Narendra Modihas articulated it clearly that this is not the time for war. This is a position that India takes at all multilateral forums. This statement of our Prime Minister has been repeated by many other world leaders as well andshows the statesmanship of our Prime Minister. 

What can be expected in terms of trying to set the global agenda, including in the space of financial stability and development?

I think just a few days ago, there was a meeting regarding the anti-corruption measures of the G20 nations. And there also the Prime Minister said that information sharing is very essential. It is a very important point. I am sure more would be deliberated during the summit.

One of the features of India’s G20 presidency has been this focus on taking delegates from member nations across India, getting them to experience first-hand the vibrancy and diversity of our country. How did this idea come about?

This has been one of the biggest achievements of this G20. They [the delegates] have been wondering about the diversity, the cuisine, the artefacts, the handicrafts and textiles [of India]. Apart from that, the people themselves—because various parts of the country have different cultures, speak different languages. It is the unity of India that we have showcased in a beautiful way to the world. I have visited 23 locations. Take for example Srinagar, where the delegates saw the way the situation has changed for the better in Jammu & Kashmir.

Then again in Siliguri—where some ambassadors were so enchanted by the beauty of that place that they said they would like to come back again. So, I think it does make a difference in terms of tourism, awareness aboutthe country, its culture and so many other things. Everywhere, the people have welcomed the G20 and that again shows the unity of our country.

Would you agree that India has set a new benchmark for other G20 countries?

I think it is a very, very high benchmark that has been set… It will become the gold standard.

Do you think this year long push has led to better awareness about India as an investment destination?

It is [thanks to the] efforts of the past nine years of this government that Make in India has taken off. It is not just a one-year thing, but yes, in terms of showcasing, the G20 has helped because the changes don’t come overnight. In fact, I was the Principal Secretary, Industries, in Maharashtra in 2014, when the government took over, and one of the first big conferences that PM Modi addressed was for the launch of the Make in India programme. And the results are for everyone to see. The G20 has definitely helped because everywhere, wherever the meetings were held, there were also side events that showcased Make in India to the delegates as well as the foreign media.