New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor commended the Narendra Modi-led government for its successful hosting of the G20 Summit, hailing the New Delhi declaration as a “diplomatic triumph for India.”
Tharoor’s unexpected words of approval came on Sunday, as he celebrated the government’s remarkable achievement in bringing together diverse world leaders for a successful summit and crafting a consensus on crucial issues.
“The Delhi Declaration is undoubtedly a diplomatic triumph for India. It’s a good achievement because right until the G20 summit was being convened, the widespread expectation was that there would be no agreement and, therefore, a joint communiqué might not be possible, and that we might have to end up with a chairman’s summary,” Tharoor stated.
One of the key challenges faced during the summit was bridging the gap between nations advocating for a condemnation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine and those, including Russia and China, who sought to avoid any mention of the conflict. India’s ability to find a diplomatic formula to reconcile these opposing viewpoints was lauded as a significant accomplishment by Tharoor.
“The main reason (for the lack of consensus on the statement) was the big gulf between those who wanted a condemnation of the Russian war in Ukraine and those, like Russia and China, who wanted no mention whatsoever of that subject. India was able to find a formula to bridge that gap, and that is a significant diplomatic achievement because when there is a summit without a joint communiqué, it is always seen as a setback for the chairman,” Tharoor explained.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also expressed his satisfaction with the successful adoption of the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration, acknowledging the consensus-building efforts of his ministers and sherpas.
Tharoor took the opportunity to congratulate External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and India’s sherpa for the G20, Amitabh Kant, for their instrumental roles in the summit’s success. He recognised the immense efforts put in by both individuals and emphasised the complexity of diplomatic negotiations.
“I’m in touch with both Amitabh Kant, the G-20 Sherpa, and with our foreign minister, and I would congratulate them because what they have done is certainly very, very good for India. It is not easy to pull off a diplomatic negotiation like this. They both seem to have put in a lot of hard work, and I think one should give credit where credit is due,” Tharoor acknowledged.
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