The 2023 G20 summit held under India's presidency had noteworthy outcomes like the inclusion of the African Union and a new economic corridor. The economic corridor aims to connect India, West Asia, and Europe via a railship route, challenging China's Belt and Road Initiative. Despite India's remarkable success at the summit, it raised eyebrows when Israel, a significant strategic partner, was not invited to the event. The absence may be attributed to the complicated diplomatic landscape, including the ongoing normalization process between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia is keen on Israel committing to a twostate solution with Palestine as a precondition for full diplomatic relations.
Key Points and Examples
Delhi Declaration
The Delhi Declaration was a joint statement from the G20 nations. Despite being somewhat generic, it holds importance because of the current international power struggles, especially involving India, the U.S., China, and Russia.
Example: Even though China and Russia were not physically present at the summit, their agreement on the declaration indicated a diplomatic win for India.
India-Middle East -Europe Economic Corridor
This economic corridor aims to link India with Europe via the Middle East through a series of rail and shipping routes.
Example: U.S. President Joe Biden called this corridor 'a real big deal,' emphasizing its transformative potential for global geopolitics.
Israel's Absence from the Summit
Despite the announcement of the economic corridor involving Israel, the country was not invited to the G20 summit hosted by India.
Example: This absence raised questions as Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, are known to have good diplomatic relations.
Normalisation Between Israel and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is willing to normalize relations with Israel, contingent on the latter's commitment to a twostate solution concerning Palestine.
Example: On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Saudi Arabia, along with the Arab League and the European Union, has initiated a 'Peace Day Effort' aimed at bringing peace between Israel and Palestine.
Geopolitical Implications
The newly proposed economic corridor may serve as a counterbalance to China's Belt and Road Initiative.
Example: The project is transformative for countries involved, and its success or failure could significantly influence international geopolitics.
U.S. Foreign Policy
The corridor and the ongoing normalization process between Israel and Saudi Arabia are also affected by the U.S.'s foreign policy objectives.
Example: U.S. President Joe Biden has been steering clear of Israel’s PM Netanyahu for the past eight months due to complicated domestic politics, affecting the dynamics of the economic corridor.
Conclusion
The G20 summit has opened up several diplomatic channels and possibilities, including a new economic corridor that could transform global geopolitics. However, this corridor and other diplomatic ventures hinge on a range of factors including the normalization of diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and peace between Israel and Palestine.
