This summit will highlight the importance India is paying to the Arab world

Almost all countries aligned with India’s vision for the new world order will be descending in New Delhi, by this time next week to adopt resolutions for a changed world order, post the once-in-a-century pandemic and a war in the heart of Europe. India sensed early on, that the G20 leaders’ summit scheduled for the second week of September, would be a key landmark for shaping the geopolitical landscape for the 21st century. As a result, India planned nearly 200 meetings over a year under various work groups and G20 tracks, in 50 cities. Liberally splashed across all these meetings were huge helpings of India’s rich and diverse cultural heritage and traditions, along with a focus on sustainable social and economic practices for a liveable future. India also took the opportunity to place itself as a voice of the Global South (an array of countries stretching across SE Asia, Africa, Pacific islands, all the way up to Latin America, which is relatively poor as compared to the Global North bunch of countries), an important positioning, given the shifting sands of geopolitics.

What is expected? First, it will crystallise nations and their alignments. Russia, which has friendly relations with India and is one of the major sources of hydrocarbons for India, at a time, when most of Europe and the US have rejected its gasoline, has already conveyed its decision to skip the summit at a leadership level. Russia will be represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov. Russia has historically been one of the largest weapons suppliers to India; however, next week US President and Indian PM are likely to announce historic progress on the development and manufacturing of advanced jet engines.

China, with whom India has a difficult relationship due to the military standoff on India’s Northeast boundaries, has mischievously released a standard map, claiming rights over many Indian territories. It would be difficult for the Indian PM to welcome his Chinese counterpart to the G20 summit, with the latest Chinese propaganda tool at work. China realises that it would not want to shake hands with key global leaders including the US President and may be evangelised about its own dictated and crafted world order, on Indian territory. With few friends to share the dais, a hostile relationship with India, and its second in command Russia barely present, the Chinese premier is also likely to skip the event. To be sure, China's absence in the leaders’ summit doesn’t mean it won’t create roadblocks towards a joint leader’s statement emerging next week. If the, past hundreds of meetings, under various work group ministerial, are a testimony, then China has stalled many joint statements and /or, reduced them to the chair’s summary. We expect more in the coming week, even while the Chinese propaganda team is hard at work, justifying its positions.

What is interesting is this summit will highlight the importance India is paying to the Arab world. India has invited UAE, Egypt and Oman for the G20 summit, besides Saudi Arabia, which already is a G20 member. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman would embark on a state visit to India immediately after the G20 summit, reiterating the importance of the relationship. India is engaged in West Asia and the Arabic world, through the I2U2 quadrilateral platform, consisting of Israel, UAE and the US. It is important to note that UAE with whom India has recently tied up a mini free trade agreement and which is being increasingly wooed by the US, for a fair transparent influence in the middle east, would be present next week for the leaders summit. The I2U2 also referred to as West Asia QUAD by some analysts, reiterates US US-led Abrahams Accord and intends for the normalisation of arrangements with Israel, a major power centre in the region. All of these leaders from the Arabic world would be eager to set up bilateral meetings with India, the US and European nations next week while enjoying an extravagant spread of Indian hospitality.

(The writer is a political analyst)