Indonesian President Joko Widodo handed over the G-20 presidency to Modi as the G 20 summit concludes in Bali

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The Indonesian President Joko Widodo formally handed over the G-20 presidency to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 November 2022 at the conclusion of the two-day (15-16 November) 17th G-20 Summit in Bali.

Prime Minister Modi said that India's presidency will be inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented. He said that the country is taking the charge at a time when the world is grappling with geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown and rising food and energy prices.

India will officially assume the G-20 Presidency from 1 December 2022.

The 18th G-20 Leaders' Summit at the level of heads of state/government is scheduled to be held on September 9-10, 2023 in New Delhi.

Modi also listed India's priorities for the G-20.

• Over the next one year, India will strive to ensure that the G-20 acts as a global prime mover to envision new ideas and accelerate collective action,"
• The sense of ownership over natural resources is giving rise to conflict today, and has become the main cause of the plight of the environment. For the safe future of the planet, the sense of trusteeship is the solution.
• Modi noted that LiFE that is a 'Lifestyle for Environment' campaign can make a big contribution to this. "Its purpose is to make sustainable lifestyles a mass movement." The prime minister emphasised that the benefits of development are universal and all-inclusive.
• Modi said the G-20 has to convey a strong message in favour of peace and harmony.
• "All these priorities are fully embodied in the theme of India's G-20 Chairmanship -- 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'," he said.

During the G-20 summit meeting the Prime Minister held meetings with various world leaders like British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Macron, the American president Joe Biden and had a brief interaction with the Chinese President Xi Jingping. It was the first face to face between the Indian and Chinese leaders after the Galwan clash in June 2020 which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers and many Chinese soldiers.

Issue of Russia and Ukraine and call for “This Era is not of War”

Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attended the meeting where the issue of Russia-Ukraine conflict divided the member countries of G-20. Western countries want an outright condemnation of Russia while others notably Indian and China are not in favour of condemning Russia. 

However the  final G-20 document which was issued  later condemned  “in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine” and demanded “its complete and unconditional withdrawal” from Ukrainian territory.

It also used the phrase “ This Era is not of War '' and called for an end to the war . This phrase was used by Prime Minister  Modi  while meeting Valdimir Putin during the SCO meeting in Uzbekistan in September 2022. The statement was well received in Europe, which regards India as a close strategic partner of Russia.

G-20 Group 

• Group of 20 or G-20 is a multilateral organisation which was set up in 1999.
• It consists of the world's major developed and developing countries.
• It consists of 19 countries and the European Union. The member countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States.
• Italy was the President of the G-20 in 2021. Indonesia is the President for 2022 and India will be the President in 2023. 
• The first Summit meeting of the leaders of the G-20 was held in 2008 at Washington, United States.
• The G20 has no permanent secretariat.
• G-20 members constitute 60% of the world population, 80% of the World economy and 75% of world trade.