MUMBAI: Taking the lead in guiding the world toward equitable and sustainable prosperity, India's 2023 G20 Presidency can be called a tremendous success. The G20 presidency has not only improved India's standing internationally; it has also highlighted its escalating power and clearly enlisted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of India's G20 agenda to be 'inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive'

The theme chosen by India for its G20 Presidency, 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'One Earth - One Family - One Future, which aims to foster the sense of unity necessary for effectively and cooperatively solving global concerns, was very well received by the participants, among whom included some of the tallest state heads of the world.

During India's G20 chairmanship, the issues of climate change and sustainable development received fresh attention. When it comes to promoting climate action, India has been at the forefront, highlighting the value of clean energy and sustainable practices. India facilitated vital discussions on resource efficiency, biodiversity preservation, and climate adaptation by hosting the G20 Environment Ministers' Meeting.

India had been working towards achieving the agenda to promote sustainable and inclusive growth much before the G20 Presidency by focusing on infrastructure development, digitalization, and innovation, and these areas were also among the three main agendas of the G20 summit.

The second agenda to promote financial stability and resilience is what the country needs to be working towards by focusing on financial sector reforms, international taxation, and anti-money laundering measures.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light the urgent need for a coordinated global strategy to strengthen health services and successfully confront upcoming health catastrophes. The G20 Presidency of India was a catalyst for reform toward more durable health systems and is also an area for us to work on.

Health care, which was the subject of the third agenda item, is also an area where we have to do quite a lot, as cost-effective healthcare and economically priced medicine are still out of reach for many.

Among the major features of the summit was undoubtedly the India-Europe Economic Corridor. This corridor aims to boost infrastructure and connectivity and improve communication and economic cooperation between India, the Middle East, and Europe, which will have several advantages for all the stakeholders.

For us, not only will it aid in creating new business opportunities, attract foreign investment, and boost economic growth in the region, but with the project promoting the development of new infrastructure, including ports, railways, and highways, new job opportunities will be created in India.

While we can confidently say that India's G20 presidency has been a diplomatic victory for PM Modi because of his ability to bring divided international leaders together and to show off its expanding strength and influence on the international scene, the lack of agreement on several topics could undermine India's efforts to use the G20 presidency to boost its international standing and aspirations.