Shringla bats for new technology order during India's G20 presidency

India is all set to formally take over the G20 presidency from the Indonesia on December 1

Chief Coordinator for India’s G20 Presidency Harsh Vardhan Shringla speaks during the special briefing on G20 Summit-India for envoys of G20 & invitee countries & international organisations, in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, on November 26, 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI

Ahead of assuming the G20 presidency, senior diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla on November 29 made a strong pitch for a new technology order that combines cross border flows of technology and investment with development and growth apparatus.

Addressing the Global Technology Summit, Mr. Shringla, India's Chief Coordinator for G20, said the principle of data for development will be an integral part for the overall theme of India's presidency of the group of the world's developed and emerging economies.

"Our presidency will take forward efforts to create a holistic global health architecture that can respond better to future health crises like the COVID pandemic," he said.

India is all set to formally take over the G20 presidency from the Indonesia on December 1.

The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the U.K., the U.S. and the European Union.

Mr. Shringla said it was important to focus on the benefits that technological progress and evidence-based policy can provide when it comes to expanding access to healthcare and nutrition.

"At the G20, this model can be internationalised. Digital India must go global. A new technology order must combine cross border flows of technology and investment with development and growth aspirations," he said.

Mr. Shringla said India will make efforts with its G20 partners to create mechanisms that would strengthen the capacity of developing countries to tackle the health crisis such as COVID-19 pandemic and any future pandemics.

"We also need new approaches to intellectual property, innovation and co-development of health technology to ensure a more inclusive response to health crises."

Mr. Shringla said India has also proposed a new engagement group called 'Startup 20' which will seek to provide an opportunity for startups from all countries to collaborate with each other.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the logo for the G20 presidency that bears a lotus and the message of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - One Earth, One Family, One Future'.

In his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' radio address on Sunday, Mr. Modi said India should focus on global good during its term and asserted that it has solutions to the challenges related to peace, unity, environment and sustainable development.