India to invite ‘friendly’ neighbours for Hyderabad G20 meet, Pakistan not on list

Amid India’s neighbours facing the most difficult financial challenges, India has decided to invite “friendly” neighbours for one of the critical G20 meetings to be held in March in Hyderabad – ‘Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion’.

Sources have told India Today, “There is a side event that we are planning. We want to bring in other countries that can have the benefit of a G20 event. Most of our friends in the neighbourhood would be part of that meeting.”

To a specific question about whether Pakistan would be invited to the event, India Today was told that only “friendly” neighbours would be invited. Three of India’s neighbours, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, are reeling under the worst economic crisis and have been waiting for bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

However, Pakistan will certainly be participating in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meetings even if they are not part of the special invitee list of the G20.

Nepal is facing a political crisis. Bangladesh is also facing financial challenges. India is yet to recognise the Taliban administration in Afghanistan and New Delhi is still navigating the diplomatic space with Myanmar’s junta regime where the civilian government representatives are under detention.

To a question about whether countries that are invited to the G20 and are not member states, can bring their own agenda to the G20 table, India Today learnt that they could come with their own agenda. And while India is not going to have “pre-conditions”, G20 meetings by themselves have a set agenda. “But, they can also have a say on issues that impact them. For example, Bangladesh will be there and they might want to discuss debt restructuring, etc,” said a source.

The source added, “Anything that you deal with in the G20 involves broad traction. What we are looking at is already spelt out in our broad priorities. Fuel, food prices going up, Covid, climate change… the focus of the G20 has to be in areas for which the forum was actually created.”

The Voice of the Global South has to do with how to address those concerns as well. And while there are differences within the G20, larger issues underlying the creation of the G20 were to bring about economic stability, which might overlap with political issues. But, focus should remain on finding solutions to the challenges we face today, added a source.

While various countries would highlight their sensitivities, as President, for India, attaining consensus is important because it goes a long way. On the Russia-Ukraine war, India is clear that the focus of the conversation should revolve not around the war but on the fallout of the war, the consequences of war.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks that “this is not an era of war” will resonate through all critical conversations as the war closes in on one year since February 24 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

So far, India has held G20 meetings at the Working Group (WG) level, Engagement Group (EG), and Sherpa-level in various cities, which include, 27 meetings in 16 states and UTs, one Sherpa meeting in Udaipur, 16 Working Group (WG) meetings, nine Engagement Group (EG) meetings.

India is expected to accrue around Rs 850 crore in revenue through the G20 events given the huge delegations that would travel to India, which would include travel, payments to hotels, travelling, tourism and shopping.