India’s G20 presidency: Key events to watch out for as India takes pole position in the world

Sherpa Track

The first meeting of the Sherpa track began in Rajasthan’s Udaipur on Sunday, 4 December. The Sherpa track will set the agenda for the G20 leaders in September next year. The meet was chaired by G20 sherpa Amitabh Kant and the sherpas will engage on topics ranging from energy, trade and investment, development, employment, tourism, agriculture, digital economy, health, education, culture, environment and anti-corruption. Two new groups — Disaster, Risk and Resilience Group and Startup20 Engagement Group — have been added to the agenda by India under its presidency.

Finance Track

The First Finance and Central Bank Deputies Meeting under India’s G20 Presidency started on Tuesday, December 13 in Bengaluru.

The G20 Finance Track, which is led by the central bank governors and finance ministers of G20 nations, focuses on economic and financial issues.

From February 23 to 25, 2023, Bengaluru will host the inaugural meeting of central bank governors and finance ministers.

Working Group meets

The Working Groups are instrumental in the G20 decision-making process. These groups support G20 sherpas in driving key global policies in various areas. It comprises of experts and officials from relevant ministries who “lead in-depth analysis and discussions on a range of internationally relevant issues in respective areas of focus,” according to India’s G20 website.

The first development working group meeting is underway in Mumbai. It is driver of the ‘Sustainable Development’ agenda of the G20 since the adoption of the goals in 2015.

The working groups consist of various arms including agriculture, anti-corruption, culture, digital economy, disaster risk reduction, development, education, employment, environment and climate sustainability, energy transition, health, trade and investment, and tourism.

Key first meetings calendar:

• 16 December: 1^st Framework working group meeting
• 20 December: 1^st Joint finance and health task force meeting

• 9th: 1^st Global partnership for financial inclusion
• 16^th: 1^st Infrastructure working group meeting
• 18^th : 1^st Health working group meeting
• 30^th: 1^st International financial architecture working group meeting
• 31^st : 1^st Education working group meeting

• 2^nd : 1^st Employment working group meeting
• 1^st Sustainable finance working group meeting
• 5^th : 1^st Energy working group meeting
• 8^th : 1^st Environment and climate working group meeting
• 1^st Tourism working group meeting
• 13^th: 1^st Agriculture working group meeting
• 1^st Digital Economy working group meeting
• 21^st : 2^nd Finance and Central Bank deputies meeting
• 23^rd : 1^st Culture working group meeting
• 1^st Finance ministers and central bank governors meeting

Engagement groups

In addition, the G20 also includes engagement Groups, comprising non-government participants from each G20 member. They provide recommendations to the G20 Leaders and contribute towards the policy-making process.

The following are the various engagement groups: Business 20, Civil 20, Labour 20, Parliament 20, Science 20, Supreme Audit Institutions 20 (a forum to discuss the important role played by SAIs globally in ensuring transparency and accountability, and in promoting cooperation among the G20 members), Startup 20 (proposed under India’s Presidency), Think 20 (which serves as an idea bank), Urban 20 (to discuss urbanization issues), Women 20 and Youth 20.