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 With India's G20 Presidency this year, new opportunities have opened up and that should significantly help scaling up bilateral and subregional cooperation in South Asia as well. Under the aegis of its Think Tank "India-Nepal Centre" and in association with the Indian Institute of Public Policy (IIPP), PHDCCI organised a Roundtable Discussion on the central theme, "India's G20 Presidency: Opportunity to Scale Up Bilateral and Subregional Cooperation for Inclusive Growth" at PHD House, New Delhi.

Mr Muktesh K Pardeshi, Special Secretary (G20-Operations), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India was the "Chief Guest" and Amb Dr Shankar Prasad Sharma, Ambassador of Nepal in India was the "Special Guest" on this occasion. The Session was chaired by Amb Mr K V Rajan, Secretary (Retired), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India & Chair, India-Nepal Centre, PHDCCI. The program witnessed a wide-ranging participation from the Diplomatic Fraternity, Industry and Think Tanks.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest Amb Muktesh K Pardeshi, Special Secretary (G20-Operations) at the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, informed that in its G20 Presidency, India has already organised  the 100th meeting. He referred to it as an "Olympic movement" for Indian diplomacy and highlighted the Prime Minister's commitment to holding G20 meetings across India, with at least one meeting in each state and union territory. Amb Pardeshi emphasized on the importance of making Indian diplomacy more people-centric and connected to the grassroots.

He also mentioned that the G20 has taken steps to include and represent different regions of the world, by inviting nine guest countries to the summit. These countries include Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates. Amb Pardeshi described this as a great opportunity for the guest countries to become equal partners in the G20 process. He also stressed the importance of the voice of the Global South.

“It is worth noting that before the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008, the G20 was primarily a financial forum, but it has since evolved to encompass several topics related to socio-economic issues. And similarly on the lines of this, we have added 13 tracks involved in handling dedicated sectoral areas, such as finance, engagement etc.  And now considering India’s efforts towards the startups we have also brought in new engagement called startup-20 track as well,” added Amb Pardeshi.

As the Special Guest of the event, Amb Dr Shankar Prasad Sharma, Nepal's Ambassador in India, highlighted the significance of regional and subregional cooperation between India and Nepal, especially on connectivity and economic fronts. He referred to the regional energy grid interconnection as a milestone event, particularly if it becomes operational during the G-20 period, and mentioned that it would benefit not only consumers but also the industry. The Ambassador also praised the UPI interface and digital money transfer for its potential to simplify payment processes and benefit consumers, businessmen, and tourists with possibility of further enhancing the ties between India and Nepal.

Moreover, Ambassador Sharma mentioned the Ramayan and Buddhist circuits, essential cultural sites in the region. He expressed hope for improved air, railway and road connectivity between the two countries in the future and emphasized the need to enhance the facilities for food-fuel fertilizer and supply chain.

The Session was chaired by Amb K V Rajan, Secretary (Retired), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India & Chair, India-Nepal Centre, PHDCCI. Amb Rajan said that India’s G20 Presidency is well-timed and concerted efforts through the deliberations should go a long way in remarkably shaping the way the world is responding to the pressing challenges of our time. The time ahead should be used for reaching uncharted territories; industry should participate from the front in such a historic transforming phase.

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