India to project itself as voice of 'Global South' with a virtual summit next week

India is set to project itself as the champion of the ‘Global South’ with a virtual summit of the developing countries next week.

New Delhi is sending invitations to over 120 developing countries in Asia, Africa and South America to attend the 'Voice of Global South Summit', which will be held on January 12 and 13. The summit, themed on 'Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose', envisages bringing together countries of the 'Global South' to share perspectives and priorities on a common platform, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra told journalists.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been trying to project India as the voice of the 'Global South' over the past few months, particularly highlighting how the Russia-Ukraine war had an adverse impact on economic recovery in the developing nations after the Covid-19 pandemic and how the fuel, food and fertilizer crises caused by the conflict hit them hard.

Kwatra said that the initiative to host the virtual summit was inspired by the Prime Minister’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas” and was underpinned by India’s philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”. India will work to ensure that the valuable inputs generated from partner countries in the 'Voice of Global South Summit' deliberations receive due cognizance globally, said the foreign secretary.

Modi, himself, will chair the inaugural and the concluding sessions, which will be attended by the leaders of the participating nations. The summit will have eight other sessions.

“You are all aware of the recent global developments which have severely impacted the developing world across many domains. Some elements of this impact include the Covid pandemic, the impact of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, increasing difficulties of access and affordability of food, fertilizer and fuel,” he said, adding: "These concerns of the developing world, however, often do not receive due attention and space on the global stage."

“Often also the relevant existing platforms have proven to be inadequate in addressing these challenges and concerns of the developing countries. As such a consultative and outcome-oriented conversation focused on the most pressing concerns, interests and priorities of the developing countries is a need of the hour,” he said.

India’s ongoing presidency of the G20 provides a special and strong opportunity for countries of the 'Global South' to share their ideas and expectations from the G20. The 'Voice of Global South Summit' is in line with the Prime Minister’s statement that India’s G20 presidency will be shaped in consultation with not just with its G20 partners, but also its fellow-travellers in the 'Global South', whose voice often went unheard, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The six of the eight ministerial sessions would be at the levels of the finance ministers, environment ministers, energy ministers, health ministers, education ministers, commerce and trade ministers. The foreign ministers will have two sessions.