Passing of G20 presidential gavel marks start of Delhi to Rio journey
India and Brazil on Sunday affirmed their common vision for global prosperity as Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the G20 presidential gavel to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
India and Brazil on Sunday affirmed their common vision for global prosperity as Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the G20 presidential gavel to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, marking the beginning of the journey from New Delhi to Rio De Janeiro, which will host the influential grouping in November next year.
As the G20 Summit closed in New Delhi after an unexpected and historic consensus on the leaders declaration saw India churn out the highest number of documents and outcomes in the multilateral grouping’s history, Modi also hailed the strong ties between two countries often considered the twin pillars of the Global South.
“I want to congratulate Brazil’s president and my friend Lula da Silva, and hand over the presidency’s gavel to him,” Modi said, effectively beginning the countdown for Brazil’s formal ascendance to the presidency later this year.
Modi and Lula also met for a bilateral meeting later in the afternoon -- their third this year, having met at the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg and during the G7 meeting in Hiroshima in May.
“Ties between India and Brazil are very strong. We talked about ways to boost trade and cooperation in agriculture, technology and more. I also conveyed my best wishes for Brazil’s upcoming G20 Presidency,” Modi said on X.
A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting touched upon issues critical to developing countries that New Delhi had championed through its yearlong presidency of the G20, and Brasilia pledged to take them forward. This included the need to reform the UN system, fair and equitable energy transition, the climate crisis, food security, trade and defence cooperation.
The statement showcased several areas of convergence between the two countries and common spaces in global issues where New Delhi and Brasilia can cooperate.
Highlighting their roles as major global food producers, according to the joint statement, the leaders reaffirmed their resolve to increase cooperation in sustainable agriculture and rural development, including at the multilateral level, with the aim of safeguarding food and nutritional security of both countries and of the world.
Against the backdrop of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which has wreaked havoc on global supply chains, Modi and Lula “…underscored the need for open, unimpeded and reliable food supply chains and called upon the international community to ensure that agricultural trade is not affected by unilateral restrictions and protectionist measures, duly taking into consideration the multilateral trade rules.”
The leaders acknowledged the urgency of a fair and equitable energy transition.
“They noted the vital role of biofuels and flex-fuel vehicles in decarbonising the transport sector, especially in developing nations…and celebrated the establishment during India’s G20 presidency of the Global Biofuels Alliance, of which both countries are founding members.”
The joint statement noted in detail the two leaders’ focus on the importance of tackling the climate crisis.
They called it “…one of the greatest challenges of our time that needs to be addressed in the context of sustainable development and of efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger”.
“They reiterated their determination to enhance the multilateral response to climate change in a way that also tackle inequalities within and among countries…,” the joint statement noted.
The conversations between the two leaders have continued since they met in May, months after Lula became Brazil’s president for the third time on January 1.
One aspect of the relationship, which both leaders admitted needs to be worked on, HT learns, is expanding trade– last year bilateral trade stood at $15 billion.
Overall, despite Brasilia’s close diplomatic and trade ties with China – where Lula received a warm welcome earlier this year – the India-Brazil relationship has much potential and much to offer to the world in context of their gradual transition into developed economies, a diplomat, who asked not to be named, said.
“The leaders have a similar agenda: Sustainability, fighting poverty, fighting for developing countries. They also realise that this a very good moment for the Global South with the G20 presidency passing to Brazil next and South Africa after that,” the diplomat said.
“Both leaders welcomed the consecutive presidencies of developing countries in the G20, which elevates the Global South’s influence in world governance. They noted with satisfaction the formation of a G20 troika comprising the three IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) countries during Brazil’s presidency,” the statement said, referring to the next G20 presidency.
India took over the presidency of the G20 on December 1 last year from Indonesia and will continue to hold the position until November 30 before Brazil takes on the mantle. South Africa will take on the presidency after that.
