India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (centre) looks on during at the start of the second working session of the G20 Leaders' Summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Sept. 9, 2023.LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP/Getty Images
The G20 avoided directly criticizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a communiqué agreed Saturday after intense negotiations which threatened to derail this weekend’s summit in the Indian capital New Delhi.
G20 leaders’ declarations are typically hashed out well in advance, but there was an unusual amount of disagreement this year. Even as of Saturday morning, by which point contentious issues such as climate relief and cryptocurrency regulation had finally been settled, a section of the declaration concerning the Ukraine war was still blank in a draft circulating among delegates and the media.
As leaders were wrapping up an afternoon session however, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced “friends, I just received a piece of good news.”
“Thanks to the hard work of our teams and your co-operation,” he said, “the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit has agreed a joint declaration.”
The 34-page document includes seven paragraphs focused on the war that are big on compromise and short on declaratory statements.
“Concerning the war in Ukraine,” it reads, “while recalling the discussion in Bali, we reiterated our national positions and resolutions adopted” at the United Nations, “and underscored that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety.”
“In line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible,” the declaration reads, adding members “welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine.”
While the New Delhi communiqué references UN resolutions criticizing Russia’s invasion, it is considerably softer than the text adopted in Indonesia last November. The Bali G20 declaration called out Russia by name, and noted “most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine,” while adding “there were other views and different assessments.”
Amitabh Kant, India’s chief representative to the G20, said Saturday’s declaration was the product of “very tough, very ruthless negotiations which went on for several days non-stop.”
“In the end, the issue was clinched because of the leadership of the prime minister, because eventually we had to say the leader wants it, and this has to be delivered,” he said, adding India had “worked very closely with Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia” in lobbying for consensus.
“This is one declaration without a single footnote ,” Mr. Kant said. “A complete statement with 100 per cent unanimity.”
Asked about differences with last year’s declaration, particularly the lack of any direct reference to Russia, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said “Bali is Bali, and New Delhi is New Delhi, that was a year ago and a lot of things have happened since then.”
Ahead of this weekend’s summit, Moscow had indicated it would block any declaration directly criticizing Russia. Beijing too – which dissented from the Ukraine section last year – had indicated it would be less willing to compromise. Neither Russian President Vladimir Putin or Chinese leader Xi Jinping are attending the Delhi G20 in person.
Failure to reach an agreement would have forced Mr. Modi to issue a chair statement, making this the first summit in two decades where the G20 has not published a leaders’ declaration, something India had been keen to avoid.
Mr. Modi has invested heavily in the G20. India has spent more than double the budget of last year’s host Indonesia, with events having been going on for months in every state and territory. In New Delhi itself, the streets have been cleared of traffic, monkeys and stray dogs rounded up, and the entrances to slums covered in large banners, many bearing the face of Mr Modi.
Saturday’s declaration capped a successful day for the Indian leader, who has positioned himself as a leader of the developing world. In the morning session, he announced all members had agreed to expand the G20 to include the African Union, fulfilling a long-standing goal for the bloc, which represents 55 member states across the continent.
In a statement, Mr. Modi said he was “honoured to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 Family,” adding this would “strengthen the G20 and also strengthen the voice of the Global South.”
Canada had publicly supported the move, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying in May “increasing Africa’s voice at the G20 table will share perspectives of emerging and developing countries and ensure the G20 is more inclusive in its outcomes.”
Mr. Trudeau was officially welcomed by Mr. Modi on Saturday morning, along with other world leaders. They shared a handshake and a few words, but the exchange appeared stilted, especially in comparison to the warm greetings Mr. Modi gave U.S. President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Relations between Ottawa and New Delhi have deteriorated under Mr. Trudeau, leading some to fear Canada could be left out of India’s economic boom.
The primary source of tensions is the issue of Sikh separatism. Canada is home to the largest Sikh population outside India and is a major hub of the Khalistan independence movement, which seeks the creation of a Sikh homeland and is regarded by New Delhi as extremist.
Mr. Modi is due to hold some 15 bilateral meetings this weekend, but Mr. Trudeau is not on the schedule, according to Indian media. Instead the two men are expected to have a brief, 10-minute “pull-aside” on Sunday. Speaking in Singapore on Friday, Mr. Trudeau said his schedule had not been finalized, but added he would bring up allegations of Indian interference in Canadian politics with Mr. Modi if he gets the chance.
Sanjay Kumar Verma, India’s high commissioner to Canada, said he was “sure they will meet each other,” but what format such a meeting would take is “difficult to say.”
With files from Reuters, the Associated Press and the Canadian Press