This G20 specifically what is formed in India. A meeting that, through diplomatic formalities, reveals the watermark of a world in great evolution. The summit is intended for the Prime Minister of India. Narendra Modi to highlight his country’s rise as an increasingly central player on the table of the greats. Ambition is also evident in the name chosen to designate the G20 host state: not India (a term that for nationalists is too Western and associated with a colonial past), but a much older one Bharat.
If form is substance, then the message coming from the Land of the Elephant seems clear: one identity turning point marking perhaps a decisive turning point for a state that in recent months has not only become the world’s most populous, but has also become part of a limited club of those who have achieved moon. Demographics and technology: a combination that cannot be underestimated, to which diplomatic weight is also added in years of traditional balancing. Rival, but partner Chinaally United States but not to such an extent as to become attached toWestclient petrolium and from Russian weapons but also by seeking not to become too dependent on such an inconvenient supplier, India has emerged as an increasingly important force. And the G20 New Delhi turns out to be an ideal platform for demonstrating this new political image. The change of pace was also evident in the way Modi kept talking about South of the world: the galaxy crystallized in this Brix extended which Bharat wants to focus on today for difficult leadership.
And it is because of these ambitions that one of the most important clashes at the top is playing out: with China. Xi Jinping. The leader of the People’s Republic left the Indian G20. A choice that for many observers is the result of enormous internal pressure, but which for many others is also a warning (or an insult) to the host country. Beijing knows that the other part of the planet, the one that does not consider Washington an important and decisive center, is becoming increasingly important. But he also realizes that internal economic difficulties may affect the Dragon’s leadership abilities. Some media outlets accused the “Red Prince” of not going to the summit in the capital of a rival power for the sake of some demonstration of political superiority, especially after the publication of the map, which caused fear and protests in neighboring countries. The fact that the Chinese leader wanted to invite the Venezuelan president as a surprise should also not be underestimated. Nicolas Maduro in Beijing on the same days as the summit. It was as if he wanted to solidify his role as leader of the South, rather than a leader like others present at the summit. Xi Jinping’s absence from such an important summit could indicate an attempt to undermine the G20, which could be seen as an ineffective platform if Xi bets on BRICS. But it can also reveal an image of less firm and confident internal leadership. Two opposing interpretations, but they cannot be ruled out.
Moreover, the parallel with the Russian president seems spontaneous. Vladimir Putin, an “ally without borders,” was also absent from the summit but escaped an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. The simultaneous absence of these two and the Chinese invitation of such an inconvenient figure as Maduro, while Putin could meet with the North Korean Kim Chen In they risk assimilating both positions. And this parallel could prove to be a boon in favor of India as well as the other superpower, the US, which the president represents instead. Joe Biden. The head of the White House arrived at this summit not in great shape, with the Sword of Damocles of accusations against son Hunter and public opinion polls show little confidence in his presidency or his re-election. However, the presence of the US President compared to the presence of the Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov implies special weight for the Washington delegation. And this may also prove useful both during joint negotiations and during numerous bilateral negotiations held on the sidelines of the summit.
Moreover, the G20 has also arrived at an extremely difficult moment, the great question mark of our modernity: war in Ukraine. It is no secret that the positions of the global South are different compared to those of the West, although they all more or less agree to disagree with an invasion or a military solution to the conflict. As for this summit, there was also disagreement in rumors about negotiations on a joint declaration of war. The absence of Putin and Xi Jinping, as well as the lack of an invitation from the Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky – motivated by the Indian government by the simple fact that Kyiv is not part of the G20 on Earth – emphasize that this summit will not be the decisive summit on the conflict. But it is clear that international instability and geopolitical upheaval, occurring more or less everywhere, cannot rule out what everyone seems to be the proverbial elephant in the room, namely war in Europe.
The unbridled chaos is also causing concern at the economic level. Bloomberg showed G20 leaders agreeing on the need for coordinated policies to support the global economy. But in an era of global anarchy and ambitious but fragile powers, crisis, and with it fear, risk taking over.
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