The issues concerning the ‘Global South’ such as reforms in multilateral development banks, indebtedness, climate finance and transfer of technology and reviving the trade dispute body of the WTO remained a rhetoric, while the G7 nations had their way in the G20 New Delhi declaration.

“Interestingly, the Global South, which India had claimed to be championing, as a term itself does not find a mention even once in the 83 para declaration,” trade analyst Biswajit Dhar said.

“We commit to enhance global food security and nutrition for all in line with the G20 Deccan High-Level Principles on Food Security and Nutrition 2023,” the declaration said.

To achieve this, the member countries committed to six high-level principles, including facilitating open and free trade in food and fertilisers. “Commit to facilitate open, fair, predictable, and rules-based agriculture, food and fertiliser trade, not impose export prohibitions or restrictions and reduce market distortions, in accordance with relevant WTO rules,” it said.

India has recently banned the export of wheat and some varieties of rice.

Dhar said: “The language of the declaration does not recognise that the distortions that the developed countries have been using systematically need to be reduced/removed. The WTO agenda for reforming AoA disregarded. Imposes a moral obligation on India against using export prohibitions or restrictions.”

The declaration on multilateral trade system, he said finds “no mention of the special needs and concerns of developing and least developed countries. The text can be interpreted as saying that the rules will be equally applied to all countries, irrespective of their levels of development and capacities.

The declaration mentions about remaining “committed to having a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system. However, Ajay Srivastava, co-founder of Global Trade Research Initiative, said: “Members will have a tough task ahead considering the divergent approaches proposed by the US, EU, China, India, and other countries (on the dispute settlement system).”

He said: “The members have stressed on complementarity of trade and environmental policies. Will this embolden developed countries using environmental reasons to erect trade barriers? The elephant in the room, the EUs climate policies that will soon disrupt world trade, remained invisible. The G20 declaration did not find it important to give even a passing reference.”

Dhar said the declaration had some positive language on strengthening of multilateral development banks with a view to increasing the flow of concessional finance to low- and middle-income countries. However, the language on garnering resources is woolly.

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