India emerged as a consensus builder at G20, says Amitabh Kant

India emerged as a leader, solution provider, and consensus builder through a positive and constructive approach, G20 sherpa Amitabh Kant told ET. It is now widely recognised that New Delhi helped break the deadlock over the communique at the summit in Bali.

The G20 communique called for an immediate end to the Ukraine conflict, as it echoed PM Narendra Modi's earlier statement that "today's era must not be of war" at Samarkand in September when he met Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today's era must not be of war," the Bali communique said.

"India played a key and critical role in bringing consensus amongst all countries after all meetings round the year had failed and there was a total deadlock," Kant said.


He said India worked in partnership with all developing countries & emerging markets to draft the final statement and the preamble to the statement.

"India emerged as a leader, solution provider, and consensus builder through its positive and constructive approach," Kant said. "Communique strongly endorses PM Modi's emphasis on three salient points - the threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible; diplomacy and dialogue; today's era must not be of war."

An official with another delegation said New Delhi's role in building consensus among the membership over the declaration was much appreciated by the hosts Indonesia.

India has taken over the G20 presidency from Indonesia for this year. There was a sharp division in the grouping over the wording of the declaration with the G7 grouping keen on a serious condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said sources.

New Delhi and some like-minded countries wanted the economic agenda to remain in focus, they said. Moreover, India was keen to ensure the G20 communique on the Russia-Ukraine conflict was settled before its presidency, said another official. India's suggestion that in view of deep divisions, the Ukraine issue should be settled through an inclusive paragraph paved the way for the agreed language in the Bali declaration.