Concern has been expressed in the declaration over the humanitarian consequences of war. The declaration says in point 7 on page 2 ‘we note with deep concern the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world’. On the same page in point No. 8 the declaration mentions ‘The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible’. So it was imperative to expect that some concrete steps would be taken to end the Russia Ukraine war and for abolition of nuclear weapons which pose an existential threat to the mankind today.

The G20 summit is the meeting of heads of the states or their representatives. They have the authority to take concrete decisions to end Russia Ukraine war. But the declaration released reads on page 2 point 8 ‘concerning the war in Ukraine....we reiterated our national positions and resolutions adopted at the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly (A/RES/ES-11/1 and A/RES/ES-11/6)’ These resolutions condemn the Russian invasion but nowhere mention the explicit involvement of US and NATO who are supplying huge consignments of arms to Ukraine to let the war continue and create a situation that no meaningful dialogue is held to end the war.

In the G20 there were 6 nuclear weapons possessing countries out of total of nine. The USA and Russia together possess about 90% of the world's nuclear weapons. This was the opportunity where thrust of the discussion could have been on steps to be taken to abolish nuclear weapons and avoid existential threat.

‘Nuclear Famine’, a study by the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) in collaboration with Physicists, Biologists,’ Climatologists and other scientists has shown with evidence that even a limited nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan using 100 nuclear weapons would put two billion people at risk of survival. A nuclear exchange between Russia and USA-NATO would kill over 5 billion people and mean end of the modern civilization built through thousands of years of human labour.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) passed by an overwhelming majority of the members of the U N General Assembly on July 7 2017 and which has already entered into force is an opportunity not to be lost. The countries present could have decided to join the TPNW and taken concrete steps to abolish nuclear weapons.

The summit also failed to elaborate steps to check proliferation of small arms. Many areas of the world are involved in large scale armed conflicts particularly in the African continent. Point 74, on page 28 in the declaration expresses concern about illicit trafficking and diversion of small arms and light weapons and calls for international cooperation among states to combat these phenomena, including export, import controls, and tracing. However, there is no mention of state sponsored terrorism, nor a word on controlling legal arms supplies which are ultimately used in violence around the world. Many countries gathered at this G20 meet have gun producing industries located on their land. These governments can very well take steps to check the proliferation and trading of small arms.

The final declaration on this score is very disappointing. India could have easily taken a lead on this as India had been the founder member of the on Aligned Movement (NAM). The seventh summit of the NAM held in Delhi in 1983 had 117 heads of the states and 20 observers. It was much bigger an event then the present one. The NAM summit held serious discussions on disarmament, peace, human rights, on the issue of Palestine and economic development of the underdeveloped world through mutual cooperation. But such issues were not given due importance in the debate in the G20.

The G20 failed to take cognizance of the growing lust for profit by the Military Industrial Complex. A day before the event, US President Joe Biden on arrival said that this is a good opportunity for defence deals with India. Shri Manish Tiwari Member Parliament has raised scepticism on the India-US joint statement after the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US president Joe Biden on 8th September 2023.

The statement says “The leaders applauded the conclusion of a second Master Ship Repair Agreement, with the most recent agreement signed by the U.S. Navy and Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders, Ltd., in August 2023. Both sides recommitted to advancing India’s emergence as a hub for the maintenance and repair of forward-deployed U.S. Navy assets and other aircraft and vessels….” With this India would emerge as 'a hub for the maintenance and repair of forward-deployed U.S. Navy assets and other aircraft and vessels.' So far India has not provided its space for any such activity. (IPA Service)