Lok Sabha Question No. 762 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-26
Subject: India Advocacy of Global South
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy, Shri Balya Mama Suresh Gopinath Mhatre, Shri Anil Firojiya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-762

ANSWERED ON- 26/07/2024

INDIA ADVOCACY OF GLOBAL SOUTH

## 762. DR. PRADEEP KUMAR PANIGRAHY

SHRI BALYA MAMA SURESH GOPINATH MHATRE

SHRI ANIL FIROJIYA

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-

(a) the steps taken by India to champion the cause of the Global South;

(b) the perception and impact on developing and developed countries of India's advocacy of issues relevant for Global South;

(c) the new Plurilateral groupings joined by India since 2014; and

(d) the initiatives piloted by India since 2014 and benefits thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a & b) India has always been committed towards addressing the needs and aspirations of fellow developing countries and has been constructively   championing   the   cause   of   holistic   human-centric development of countries of the Global South. With this In view, the Government of India has undertaken several steps which Include:

- i. Enhancing connectivity and economic inter-linkages by undertaking projects ranging from large scale infrastructure   development   to   community   related projects   in   various   sectors,   including   health,   housing,
2. environment and education.
- ii. Extending financial, budgetary and humanitarian assistance to partner countries to aid them in mitigating economic challenges and overcome crisis.
- iii. Contributing   towards   capacity   building   and   skill development in countries of the Global South by offering scholarships   and   training   programs   to   students   and professionals.

Further,   in   line   with   Prime   Minister's   vision   that   India's   G20 Presidency be shaped in consultation with fellow partners in the Global South, India hosted a two-day Voice of Global South Summit on 12-13 January 2023. India hosted the 2nd Voice of Global South

Summit on 17 November 2023. Throughout its G20 Presidency, India worked to ensure that the concerns and priorities of  the Global South received due cognizance in various verticals of the G20, and were   duly   factored   in   finding   solutions   to   the   most   pressing contemporary global challenges. The induction of the African Union into the G20 as a permanent member during India's G20 Presidency at the New Delhi G20 Summit on 09-10 September 2023 and the G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration adopted unanimously by the G20 member countries are reflections of the perception and impact on developing and developed countries of India's advocacy of issues relevant for Global South.

(c & d) The details of  prominent plurilateral groupings joined by India and initiatives launched since 2014 are placed at Annexure -I.

India implements a people-centric foreign policy guided by the demands and aspirations of  our society. India has joined these groupings and piloted initiatives in a manner that promote India's engagements and interests at bilateral, regional and global level. Moreover, such initiatives have been used to not speak for India alone but as the voice of  peace, security and prosperity for all, particularly   the   Global   South.   Understandings   reached   through these initiatives have enabled India to strengthen relations with

partner countries and put forward India's viewpoint and shape the agenda on global issues such as reformed multilateralism, peace and security, climate change, transnational crime, terrorism, cybersecurity, energy and food security, etc. These initiatives also offer the world India's own unique solutions for addressing global issues, like the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

## Annexure-I

|   Sl. NO. | Plurilateral groupings joined by/ launched by India since 2014   | Details                                            |
|-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | International Solar Alliance                                     | Launched in November 2015                          |
|         2 | Missile Technology Control Regime                                | India joined in June 2016                          |
|         3 | Hague Code of Conduct                                            | India joined in June 2016                          |
|         4 | Shanghai Cooperation Organization                                | India joined as a Member State in 2017             |
|         5 | Moscow Format on Afghanistan                                     | Instituted in 2017                                 |
|         6 | Wassenaar Arrangement                                            | India joined in December 2017                      |
|         7 | Australia Group                                                  | India joined in January 2018                       |
|         8 | India- Nordic Summits                                            | First India-Nordic Summit in 2018                  |
|         9 | Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan.                       | Instituted in 2018                                 |
|        10 | Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure                  | Launched in September 2019                         |
|        11 | Leadership Group on Industry Transition                          | Launched in September 2019                         |
|        12 | Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya- Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy    | India joined as a development partner in 2019      |
|        13 | Indo- Pacific Oceans' Initiative (IPOI)                          | Announced in November 2019                         |
|        14 | Indian Ocean Commission                                          | India joined as an Observer in March 2020          |
|        15 | Quad                                                             | First virtual Leaders' Summit in March 2021        |
|        16 | India-France-Australia Trilateral Cooperation                    | 1st India-France- Australia Trilateral Ministerial |

|    |                                                  | Dialogue was held on 4 May 2021.                                                                                                |
|----|--------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 17 | I2U2                                             | The I2U2 Grouping was conceptualized during the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the four countries held on 18 October 2021. |
| 18 | First Movers Coalition                           | India joined in May 2022                                                                                                        |
| 19 | Indo-Pacific Economic Framework                  | Launched in May 2022                                                                                                            |
| 20 | Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Growth Triangle      | India joined as a development partner in July 2022                                                                              |
| 21 | India-Australia-Indonesia Trilateral Cooperation | The 1st India-Australia- Indonesia trilateral Foreign Ministers meeting took place in September 2022                            |
| 22 | Mission LiFE                                     | Launched in October 2022                                                                                                        |
| 23 | Mangrove Alliance for Climate                    | India joined in 2022                                                                                                            |
| 24 | International Year of Millets 2023               | United Nations, at the behest of the Government of India, declared 2023 the International Year Millets.                         |
| 25 | Voice of Global South Summit                     | First Voice of Global South Summit held in January 2023                                                                         |
| 26 | India-Central Asia JWG on Afghanistan            | Instituted in March 2023                                                                                                        |
| 27 | International Big Cat Alliance                   | Launched by India in April 2023                                                                                                 |

|   28. | Mineral Security Partnership                  | India joined in June 2023                                             |
|-------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    29 | Artemis Accords                               | India joined in June 2023                                             |
|    30 | Global Biofuels Alliance                      | Launched in September 2023                                            |
|    31 | India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor    | Announced in September 2023                                           |
|    32 | Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence | India is founding member and hosted the GPAI summit in December 2023. |
|    33 | Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate    | India joined in December 2023                                         |
|    34 | Global Green Credit Initiative                | Launched in December 2023                                             |
|    35 | Global River Cities Alliance                  | Launched in December 2023                                             |
|    36 | Combined Maritime Forces                      | India joined as a full member in 2023                                 |

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