G20 Presidency’s positive impacts very close to my heart: PM Modi

His government’s decision to host G20 events across the country is an investment in capacity-building among people, cities and institutions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, as he took a jibe at previous governments asserting they lacked confidence in people’s abilities to hold mega events outside the capital, in smaller places.

Modi said he had always had a great belief in people as he cited his organisational background to assert that he learnt a lot from many experiences during that phase of his life. “I had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the feats common citizens were capable of when given a platform and an opportunity,” the prime minister told PTI in an interview late last week.

Modi spent decades in organisational works first in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and then in the BJP before starting his innings in a government role as Gujarat chief minister in 2001 before assuming prime ministership in 2014.

By the time India’s G20 presidency term ends, over 220 meetings would have happened across 60 cities in all 28 states and eight union territories, he said, adding that over one lakh participants from around 125 nationalities would witness the skills of Indians.

“Over 15 million people in our country have been involved in these programmes or have come in touch with some aspects of them,” he said.

Asked about his rationale behind the concept of holding G20 meetings across India, he said it has been observed that some countries, even if small in size, took up the responsibility of organising high-profile global meets, including Olympics, and were left with a positive and transformational impact by these mega events.

They gained in growth and changed their outlook towards themselves and also the way the world started to recognise their abilities, he said, adding that this in fact became a turning point in their development journey.

India, across its various states, union territories and cities has so much potential to welcome, host and connect with the world, the prime minister said.

He said he also appealed to various states during the Chief Ministers’ meeting that they should ensure that each state continues to strengthen its relationship with the delegates who visited them during G20 and their countries. “This will also open up a lot of opportunities for the people in future.”

“So, there is a deeper plan behind the decentralisation of the activities related to G20. We are investing in capacity building in our people, our institutions and our cities,” he said.

In a swipe at earlier governments, he said, “Unfortunately, in the past, there used to be an attitude of getting things done right here in Delhi, in and around Vigyan Bhavan. Perhaps because it was an easy way out. Or perhaps because those in power lacked confidence in the people of different parts of the country to successfully execute plans of such scale.” His government, Modi said, changed the approach.

“If you observe carefully, over the years, we trusted the people of every region. The 8th Brics summit happened in Goa. The 2nd FIPIC summit involving many Pacific Island nations happened in Jaipur. The Global Entrepreneurship Summit happened in Hyderabad. Similarly, we ensured that many foreign leaders who visited our country were hosted at various places across the country rather than just in Delhi,” he said.

The same approach is continuing in the G20 too, albeit at a larger scale, he said. Each such global scale assignment has pushed capacity building in several domains such as management of logistics, hospitality, tourism, soft skills, and execution of projects among others, he said, describing it as a big boost to people’s self-confidence in these places.

“Now, they know they can deliver something world-class. This capacity and confidence will also get channelised into various other constructive endeavours that will push progress and prosperity,” he said.

Moreover, he added, each state is also ensuring that they leave their unique cultural stamp on the minds of G20 delegates. This is also giving the world an idea of India’s incredible diversity, Modi said.

Talking about India’s energy transition, he said, “India’s proposal for a global alliance on biofuels among members of the Group of 20 major economies will help accelerate sustainable biofuels deployment in support of the global energy transition.”

The biofuels alliance, which the world’s third biggest oil consumer wants to push during its G20 presidency, mirrors the International Solar Alliance (ISA) piloted by New Delhi and Paris in 2015 to bring clean and affordable solar energy within the reach of all.

Biofuel is a renewable source of energy which is derived from biomass. India, which imports over 85 per cent of its crude oil needs, is gradually building capacity to produce fuel from items including crop stubble, plant waste, and municipal solid waste.

“Such alternatives can enhance energy security, create opportunities for domestic industry, and create green jobs all crucial elements in ensuring a transition that leaves no one behind,” Modi said.

He further claimed, “India will be a developed nation by 2047; corruption, casteism and communalism will have no place in our national life.”

“For long India seen as country of 1 billion hungry stomachs, now it is 1 billion aspirational minds, 2 billion skilled hands. Indians today have great chance to lay foundation for growth that will be remembered for next thousand years. India will be in top three economies of world in near future,”said PM Modi, citing country’s record of jumping five spots in less than decade.

PM Modi dismisses objections of Pakistan, China on G20 meets in Kashmir, Arunachal; says it’s natural to hold meets in every part of country.

Dialogue and diplomacy only way to resolve different conflicts in different regions, he said on Russia-Ukraine war.

“Terrorist organisations are using technology for radicalisation and capitalising on emerging digital avenues such as the dark net, metaverse and cryptocurrency platforms,” he added. he said the World Bank has estimated that cyber attacks could have caused losses of around USD 5.2 trillion to the world during 2019-2023, but their impact goes beyond just financial aspects into activities that are deeply worrying.

He said these can have social and geopolitical implications.

Cyber terrorism, online radicalisation, use of networked platforms to move funds from money laundering to drugs and terrorism are just the tip of the iceberg, he said.

Modi said cyberspace has introduced an entirely new dimension to the battle against illicit financial activities and terrorism.

Terrorist organisations are using technology for radicalisation, moving money from money laundering and drugs into terror funding, and capitalising on emerging digital avenues such as the dark net, metaverse, and cryptocurrency platforms to fulfil their nefarious aims, he said.

Stressing the need for taking the cyber threats very seriously, the prime minister said one angle of their adverse impact is the financial losses they cause.

Further, he said, cyber attacks can also have implications for the social fabric of nations.

Modi said the spread of deep fakes’ can cause chaos and loss of credibility of news sources. He said fake news and ‘deep fakes’ can be used to fuel social unrest.

So, it is of concern to every group, every nation, and every family. That is why we have taken this up as a priority, he said.

The prime minister noted that India hosted a G20 Conference on Crime and Security in the Age of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), Artificial Intelligence and Metaverse in July in Gurugram.

During this conference, he said, concern was expressed over malicious cyber activities contrary to established norms, principles and rules of cyberspace and international law.

Modi said it was stressed that coordination on prevention and mitigation strategies is needed and emphasis was placed on the need to achieve a comprehensive international convention on countering the use of ICTs (Information and Communications Technologies) for criminal purposes.