India's Multilateral Engagement: A Beacon For The Global South

India's growing influence on the global stage, especially its leadership within the Global South, continues to garner recognition. As world leaders prepare for the upcoming UN Summit of the Future, on 22-23 September 2024, key figures have praised India's approach to multilateralism and its role in shaping the future of global governance.

During an online conference organized by the Centre for Global India Insights (CGII) and India Writes Network, Inga Rhonda King, Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the United Nations, emphasized that “the Global South depends on the India way in contributing to shaping the future.” This endorsement highlights India's evolving leadership in multilateral diplomacy, a stance marked by mutual respect and solidarity. King, a prominent voice from the Caribbean, praised India's influence, stating, "One of the important leaders today in the Global South is your good country India."

This praise comes at a time when the world’s attention is drawn to the pivotal UN Summit of the Future on September 22-23. The summit will be closely followed by the annual General Assembly high-level week, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver an address. Modi’s leadership at this moment is essential, especially in light of India’s recent efforts to expand the G20 to include the African Union, symbolizing India’s commitment to inclusive multilateralism.

The India Way in Multilateral Diplomacy

Inga Rhonda King's speech underscored the significance of India's diplomatic strategy, which she called "the India way." During the COVID-19 pandemic, India exemplified this approach through its "vaccine diplomacy," where it distributed vaccines to developing countries, helping bridge the global vaccine divide. “India’s approach to vaccine diplomacy during the COVID-19 pandemic -- that is the way of the future,” King remarked.

India's initiative extends beyond health. Its United Nations Development Partnership Fund, which allocates financial assistance to developing countries, operates under a principle of trust. King elaborated on this, saying, “The India UN Development Partnership Fund, where you leave the partner to decide how we use the funds that you provide -- that is the way of mutual respect and solidarity.” This strategy emphasizes India's dedication to empowering partner nations in the Global South, allowing them to shape their futures according to their unique contexts and needs.

The 3rd Voice of Global South Summit: A Key Milestone

India’s contributions were also seen in the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit which was held on August 17, 2024. During this summit, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi unveiled several major development programme interventions aimed at enhancing India’s development relations with other countries of the Global South. Some of these were the provision of USD 2.5 million fund to boost the trade activities. The proposed integrated strategy includes a USD 5 million fund directed towards the support of TPA related trade promotion activities as well as the trade capacity enhancement fund of a USD 1 million targeted at the implementation of trade policy and trade negotiation. 

Additionally, Modi reiterated India’s commitment to making affordable and effective generic medicines available to the Global South, a move crucial to addressing healthcare challenges in many developing nations. This initiative, along with India's support for the training of drug regulators and the sharing of technology and experiences in 'natural farming' in agriculture, signifies India's holistic approach to uplifting partner nations.

India's leadership in multilateral spaces is not limited to these initiatives. The country is actively contributing to the SDG Stimulus Leaders’ Group, which focuses on alleviating financial stress and enhancing development funding for Global South nations. Such initiatives reflect India's comprehensive strategy to address the wide-ranging issues faced by developing countries, from healthcare to sustainable development and trade.

Challenges Facing the Global South

Despite India's efforts to promote equitable growth and sustainable development, the Global South continues to face a myriad of challenges. One of the most pressing issues is the financial gap that hampers progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Climate finance, as highlighted by Vanshika Kant, Climate and Social Development Expert at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), remains a key hurdle. "Financing remains a major challenge for developing countries seeking to address climate change," Kant noted, pointing to the critical role that multilateral development banks must play in mobilizing resources.

Multilateral reform, especially within the United Nations, also remains a contentious issue. India's former Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, pointed out that while the upcoming UN Summit is being hailed as a landmark moment for multilateralism, real progress depends on overcoming entrenched global power dynamics. "The real challenge will be ensuring that this pact moves beyond symbolic declarations to concrete, enforceable mechanisms," Kamboj warned.

Historically, pacts like the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals have faced significant challenges in enforcement. Kamboj underscored the importance of legally binding commitments to ensure meaningful progress. Without such commitments, there’s a risk that agreements could be diluted by national interests, particularly from major powers unwilling to relinquish their influence.

Moreover, the long-standing call for United Nations Security Council reform has made little headway. Kamboj observed that despite decades of discussions, "reforming institutions like the United Nations Security Council has been discussed for decades with little progress due to opposition from some of the existing permanent members." These powers are reluctant to give up their privileged positions, making significant reform difficult. Without structural changes, the Global South may continue to be underrepresented in global governance, limiting the effectiveness of multilateral institutions in addressing their unique challenges.

The Way Forward

As world leaders gather at the UN Summit of the Future, the discussions will likely reaffirm the need for more inclusive multilateral frameworks. However, meaningful change will require more than rhetoric. As UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pointed out, the international system needs to evolve. "We can't build a future for our grandchildren with the system that was built for our grandparents," UN Resident Coordinator in India, Shombi Sharp, quoted Guterres as saying.

The UN Summit of the Future presents a critical opportunity to reshape global governance for the better. As King, Kamboj, and other experts noted, India’s "new multilateral way" has shown promise, especially in the context of the Global South. But for multilateralism to truly succeed, it must transcend symbolic gestures and move towards actionable, enforceable commitments that ensure equitable representation and address the real challenges facing developing nations.

India’s role, with its approach rooted in solidarity, mutual respect, and practical solutions, will be crucial in this process. As the Global South looks to India, the world must collectively ensure that the future is shaped by inclusive, fair, and dynamic global governance systems.