Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, has addressed the challenges that the world is facing and stressed that global institutions should be able to handle these obstacles. The Hindu-ORF Policy Conclave 2023 at Hindu College, organized by Observer Research Foundation (ORF), partners with the Department of Political Science and G20 Secretariat, explored this in detail.
The multilateral system that prevails today has been formed as a result of the Second World War and India’s presidency of G20 is amidst a few global crises like food, fuel and fertiliser, declared Puri. He also said that as economies develop, it’s important to embrace new ideas and growth models. Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy, Chairman of T20 India Core Group and Director General of Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis, pointed out how the UN System and International Monetary Fund (IMF) didn’t deliver on their promises about human rights, peace, and development, but India can still provide a third choice of vasudhaiva kutumbakam.
Muktesh Pardeshi from G20 Secretariat, MEA and Eenam Gambhir, Joint Secretary of G20 Secretariat, MEA, discussed the importance of involving everyone in climate action, not just the governments and policy communities. Moreover, Prof. Shamika Ravi and Lakshmi Puri, Former Assistant Secretary-General of United Nations and Preeti Saran, Former Secretary (East) of UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, highlighted the role of India in diffusing the Global South’s needs and bringing those ideas to light. The policy conclave discussed the importance of technology creating a better life for society and bypassing the biased mindset. The LiFE project, i.e. Lifestyle for Environment, is a framework created to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with minimum tradeoffs.
The Observer Research Foundation is an Indian think tank located in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, along with a South Asian affiliate in Washington, DC. It has helped India voice their opinions in the global forums and implement its own ways. Despite the challenges that the world currently faces, ORF proved that the Global South is responsible for many of its own solutions and India, as an upcoming economy, has the potential to make a difference.
