Maarg Manthan · Topic 10.1

G20 Summit and India’s Presidency (New Delhi Declaration)

International Relations & Places in News › Important International Summits, Conferences and Forums · Topic 10.1

The G20 is the main forum for international economic cooperation among 19 countries, the European Union and, since September 2023, the African Union. It began in 1999 as a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors after the Asian financial crisis, and was raised to the level of leaders in 2008 after the global financial crisis. India held the G20 presidency from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023 under the theme Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, One Earth, One Family, One Future, and the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration was adopted by consensus on 9 September 2023. South Africa hosted the 2025 summit in Johannesburg, and the United States holds the 2026 presidency.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · International Relations · Important International Summits, Conferences and Forums

At a Glance

Started 1999 (finance track); leaders from 2008
Members 19 countries, EU, African Union
India’s presidency 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023
New Delhi Declaration 9 September 2023
2025 and 2026 South Africa, then the United States
Exam link UPSC Prelims, International Relations: Important International Summits, Conferences and Forums

Where Does It Fit?

This is the first topic of the macro on important international summits, conferences and forums. The G20 is the most examined of them because India led it in 2023 and delivered a consensus declaration. Previous topic: India’s Defence Exports and “Make in India” Defence Manufacturing Partnerships. Next topic: SCO Summit.

What Is the G20?

Origin: created in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis, with finance ministers meeting. The first leaders’ summit was in Washington in November 2008 during the global financial crisis.
Members: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, plus the European Union and the African Union.
Weight: the members account for about 85 per cent of world GDP, over 75 per cent of global trade and around two-thirds of the world’s population.
Structure: there is no permanent secretariat. The presidency rotates yearly, and the previous, present and next presidents form the troika. Work runs through the Sherpa track on political issues and the Finance track.
Decisions: declarations are political commitments reached by consensus and are not legally binding.

What Did India’s Presidency Achieve?

Outcome	Detail
Theme	Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, One Earth, One Family, One Future, with the logo of a lotus
New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration	Adopted by consensus on the first day of the summit on 9 September 2023 at Bharat Mandapam, despite differences on the Ukraine war. The text spoke of peace without naming Russia
African Union	The AU was made a permanent member at India’s initiative, which made the G20 more representative of the Global South
India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor	A connectivity corridor was announced on the sidelines
Global Biofuel Alliance	Launched at the summit to promote sustainable biofuels
Other	A Green Development Pact, the Digital Public Infrastructure framework and a roadmap for multilateral development banks, as well as a push for the Global South voice through the Voice of Global South Summits

What Has Happened Since?

Brazil, 2024: the Rio summit launched a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and discussed taxing the super-rich and reforming global governance.
South Africa, 2025: the Johannesburg summit, the first G20 summit in Africa, was held in Johannesburg on 22 and 23 November 2025. The United States boycotted it, and a leaders’ declaration was still adopted, with about 120 paragraphs, and with a single reference to Ukraine.
United States, 2026: the US holds the presidency and has said it will focus on a narrower agenda of economic growth. The usual handover did not take place at Johannesburg, so check the latest on the 2026 summit.
India’s next role: India remains in the troika-based planning for the Global South agenda and continues to press for debt relief and reform of multilateral banks.
Other guests: invitees often include Spain, as a permanent guest, and international organisations such as the UN, IMF and World Bank.

Why Does It Matter and What Are the Debates?

Global South voice: India used its presidency to put development, debt and climate finance at the centre, as covered in Group of 20 (G20) and India’s G20 Presidency.
Consensus under strain: divisions over Ukraine, trade wars and the US boycott test the group’s ability to produce joint outcomes.
Legitimacy: the G20 is not representative of all countries, and smaller states are excluded, although the AU entry widened it.
Implementation gap: commitments on climate finance and debt are often not fulfilled.
India’s gain: the presidency raised India’s image as a bridge between the developed and developing worlds and a host of large events.

As an analytical point, the G20 works best as a crisis forum and a place to build common positions. India’s challenge is to turn the agenda it set into follow-through in the later presidencies.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Facts Members and declaration asked
India Presidency outcomes
News Johannesburg 2025

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. Next topic: SCO Summit.

Key People and Terms

G20 Group of Twenty
Troika Past, present and next presidencies
Sherpa Leader’s personal representative
Consensus Agreement without objection
IMEC India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor
GBA Global Biofuel Alliance

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Leaders’ summits since 2008; AU member from 2023.
India’s presidency: December 2022 to November 2023.
New Delhi Declaration: 9 September 2023.
2025: Johannesburg; 2026: United States.
Members account for about 85 per cent of world GDP.

Do Not Confuse With

G20 and G7 Large economies’ forum versus advanced economies’ group
G20 and BRICS Mixed forum versus emerging economies’ grouping
Sherpa track and Finance track Political versus economic ministers

Memory Hook

Ninety-nine finance, oh-eight leaders; twenty-three Delhi, nine-nine declaration; Africa joins and the lotus shines.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about India’s G20 presidency and its legacy. These points add depth.

Outcome Consensus text
Inclusion African Union
Test Follow-through

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Evaluate the outcomes of India’s G20 presidency and the challenges facing the G20 today.”

How to Answer

G20 Origin and members.
India Presidency outcomes.
Since Brazil, South Africa, US.
Challenges Consensus, legitimacy.

GS Relevance

Prelims: members, year, India's presidency, outcomes. GS Paper 2: global groupings and India's role.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the G20?

The G20 is a forum of 19 countries, the European Union and the African Union that coordinates global economic policy. It began in 1999 as a meeting of finance ministers and has held leaders' summits since 2008, with a rotating presidency and no permanent secretariat.

What was the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration?

The New Delhi Leaders' Declaration was adopted by consensus on 9 September 2023 during India's G20 presidency. It covered growth, debt, climate finance, digital public infrastructure and reform of multilateral banks, and it made the African Union a permanent member of the group.

When did India hold the G20 presidency?

India held the G20 presidency from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023, with the theme Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning One Earth, One Family, One Future. The leaders' summit was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 9 and 10 September 2023.

Who hosted the G20 summit in 2025?

South Africa hosted the 2025 G20 summit in Johannesburg on 22 and 23 November 2025, the first held in Africa. The United States boycotted the meeting, but the other leaders adopted a declaration, and the United States took over the presidency for 2026.

Why was the African Union admitted to the G20?

The African Union was admitted as a permanent member at the New Delhi summit in 2023 on India's initiative, to give the continent a collective voice. It follows the model of the European Union's membership and makes the G20 more representative of the Global South.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The African Union became a G20 member in 2023.

True

At the New Delhi summit.

2 India's G20 theme was Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

True

One Earth, One Family, One Future.

3 The G20 has a permanent secretariat.

False

The presidency rotates.

4 G20 declarations are legally binding.