Politics
Mint Explainer: Will India's G20 Presidency end without a joint declaration?
Summary
The principal obstacle could be the language relating to Russia’s invasion of UkraineNew Delhi: India’s G20 Presidency could be the first to not issue a joint declaration at the end of the summit. The principal obstacle could be the language relating to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While the West has pushed hard for strong language on the issue, China and Russia have objected to this. European Union officials have indicated their disapproval of the draft text for the joint communique, citing disagreements over language related to the war in Ukraine. Mint takes a look at the issue.
Why does a joint statement matter?
A joint declaration or a joint communique at the end of a formal summit is usually standard diplomatic practice. It seeks to show a unified front and some level of agreement on key issues. These documents are also issued even when there is little agreement or progress on key issues as a means of saving face or preventing major disagreements from surfacing. Every G20 Summit since the first meeting in Washington in 2008 has produced a joint statement.
Why is this G20 Summit different?
India’s G20 Presidency has seen deep divisions over how the Ukraine war should be referred to in the joint declaration. During the G20 Summit in Bali in 2022, a joint declaration was issued which stated that “most members" condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It also called for countries to respect the UN Charter and uphold international law. However, Russia and China have refused to accept the language they agreed to in 2022, which has caused significant frustration. India has resorted to releasing a “Chair’s Outcome Statement" where it details issues on which there is agreement and specifically names countries who are holding out on specific issues.
What happens now?
India has tried to bring negotiating parties together through compromises on language through its Presidency. These efforts have only intensified as the G20 Leaders’ Summit approaches. While EU countries have stated that they are willing to show flexibility on this issue, they have also stated that India’s draft language so far does not go far enough in addressing their concerns. It is also not known if Russia and China will compromise despite India’s efforts. President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Xi Jinping of China have both decided to skip the meeting.
How will this impact India?
Should a joint statement be secured, India will undoubtedly enjoy a reputational boost for securing a diplomatic breakthrough. If not, this failure will certainly attract attention and could detract from Delhi’s efforts to project the G20 Summit in New Delhi as India’s big moment on the world stage.
