Satisfied with G20 result, concerns on board: FM

Satisfied with the outcome of G20 meeting, Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Sunday said India's concerns with regard to withdrawal of US stimulus and the need to expedite IMF quota reforms have been taken on board by the group of rich and developing nations.

"The communique has been drawn by the deputies sitting together and our concerns have been fully reflected in the communique," he said in an interview after conclusion of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meet. The Minister said "yes", when asked whether he was satisfied with the G20 communique.

The communique was released at the end of the conference which among others was attended by Finance Ministers of several important countries including the US, Japan, France and Australia.

Representatives of global bodies like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Central Bank also participated in the conference.

India, Chidambaram said, has expressed concern over impact of monetary easing by the US Federal Reserve on the developing countries and underlined the need to expedite the IMF quota reforms which seeks to give greater say to emerging economies in the multilateral lending body.

“...when countries withdraw from quantitative easing they should keep in mind the spillovers on the developing countries,” he said.

Emerging economies followed the advice of the IMF when the major economies went through a period of downturn after the 2008 global financial crisis, Chidambaram said.“So when they (developed world) sought our cooperation during the economic downturn it is only fair that they cooperate with developing countries during the economic recovery,” he said, while referring to the remarks of German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble that India should not attribute its problems to monetary polices of developed nations. 

As regards tapering by the US Federal Reserve, Chidambaram said the concerns of emerging economies have been acknowledged by the G20 and it was "for the US to follow up and address the concerns of developing countries."

The Federal Reserve's tapering has caused flight of capital out of emerging economies and in turn hammering their currencies.

On the general mood at the G20 conference, which was taking place in the backdrop of IMF projecting acceleration of global growth to 4 per cent next year from 3.7 per cent in 2013, he said, “the general mood is cautious...(it is) cautiously optimistic.”

Taking on board India's concerns with regard to the impact of stimulus tapering, the communique said that, “all central banks (will) maintain their commitment that monetary policy settings will continue to be carefully calibrated and clearly communicated, in the context of ongoing exchange of information and being mindful of impacts on the global economy."