Innovation investment rules to figure in G20 Sherpas meet

NEW DELHI: New issues including innovation, digitisation and investment rules will figure at the three-day meet of G20 Sherpas at Xiamen in China beginning June 23, which will be attended by NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya.

This will be the third meeting of Sherpas under the Presidency of China and will prepare a broad agenda for discussion for the G20 Summit to held at Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang Province on China's southeastern coast.

"Among the new issues China has brought to the table under its G20 Presidency are the role of innovation, digitisation and new industrial revolution in growth and guidelines on investment rules," Panagariya told PTI.

Besides, he said the regular issues such as climate change, trade and energy will also be discussed at the meet.

The meet will also discuss the global economic situation and review the progress on preparation for Hangzhou Sumit to be held in September this year.

The other issue which will come up for detailed deliberation are anti-corruption, counter terrorism financing, refugee crisis and AMR (Antimicrobial resistance).

According to World Health Organisation, antimicrobial resistance threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi.

It is an increasingly serious threat to public health that requires action across all government sectors and society.

Earlier before Sherpas meet at Beijing in January, Panagariya had said India will push for poverty alleviation and sustainable development besides trade and investment at the G20 forum.

India intends to eliminate poverty by 2030. It wants to boost trade and investment as these are instruments of eliminating poverty.

G20 members include G8 countries, namely, the US, Japan, Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Canada and Russia; and the 11 emerging and developing countries, namely, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, South Africa and Turkey; and the EU.