While hosting 3rd VOGSS, India proposed ‘Global Development Compact’, emphasizing that its own development journey and experiences will be shared with fellow developing countries of the Global South
On August 17, India hosted the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS) to take stock of the progress and deliberate on concrete way forward with over 120 leaders and representatives from the developing world across continents.

Several attempts have been made to engage and provide for the disadvantaged nations during the past seven decades when India stood for the cause and wellbeing of the Global South as it is loosely defined. However, it is for the first time we are witnessing the institutionalization of this format.

Especially now as the countries of the Global South have been made to suffer on account of global wars, conflicts and geo politics where they have no say but with huge stakes as they are directly and adversely impacted by such events and policies.

Importance of collective voice
Lone voices do not matter in today’s world hence a collective voice and stance cannot be ignored by the rest who think they only can craft and dictate the rules of the game. Even they have been made to take note of the importance of this collective voice.

We saw the importance Italy attached to Africa during the recently held G7 Summit. As a matter of policy and identity, India has unremittingly pursued the welfare of the developing and underdeveloped world hence it is natural that she would try to coalesce that fountain of energy and synergy for mutual benefit and a win -win cooperation. “An empowered Global South for a Sustainable Future” crafts the strategic objectives of the meeting.

India’s G20 Presidency in 2022-23 provided a perfect opportunity to lend a credible voice to the Global South and make the rest of the world hear this unmistakable message that they cannot sit idly by and suffer for no fault of their own.

Hence, PM Narendra Modi called for the first Voice of Global South Summit as soon as India took over the Presidency on January 12, 2023. 125 countries attended virtually and shared their perspectives and priorities which were then ploughed into the discussions of the G20 and eventually got reflected in the Delhi Declaration in September 2023.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) needed to be accelerated and the fight against Climate Change had to be met with climate justice and green finance and green technologies for which commitment of the developed world had been only peripheral.

World is not fair but a joint effort only could deal with this existential challenge. Debt ridden countries needed some relief. They needed a better representation so India did not only extend special invites to several developing countries, but also consistently pursued with enhanced vigor the inclusion with full membership of the African Union in the G20, providing a powerful pedestal for the 55 countries of Africa, which had been widely appreciated.

Just before handing over the baton to Brazil, New Delhi called for second virtual, VOGSS in November to inform them about the progress made and potential to be explored and exploited.

Since these cannot be  one-off affairs like in the past, the 3rd Virtual Summit was held on August 17 in which again over 120 countries participated. The fact that in less than two years three VOGGS were held is a testament to the challenges faced and India’s commitment to the cause of the Global South.

Besides, the presence and participation of over 120 countries in the VOGGS attest to its popularity and meaningfulness for them. This time again the focus was on climate change, SDGs and women led development as well as on reforms of the multilateral institutions.

India’s commitment to share its experience for global good
Tools for many in this age of internet and technology, India offered her Digital Public Infrastructure (DPIs) as a global good to the developing world so that technology and digital divide could be abridged. Dozens of ministerial sessions were held focusing on specific issues, challenges, and wayforward.

PM Modi assured the participants that “India is committed to sharing its experiences, its capabilities with countries of Global South and wants to promote mutual trade, inclusive growth, progress of Sustainable Development Goals, and women-led development.”

Earlier (July 27), India participated in the G20 Development Ministerial meeting where the G20 Ministerial Declaration for reducing inequalities was adopted with full consensus. This was the first ever Development Ministerial declaration in the G20 making it even more special.

With regard to fighting inequalities, India underscored the critical need to accelerate efforts towards achieving the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This blended well with the 3rd VOGSS.

Some of the perennial challenges have not been addressed due to duplicity and complicity of certain countries. In this regard terrorism, extremism, separatism, and radicalism have turned into instruments for myopic geopolitical zero sum games.

These have to be fought through global solidarity and without exceptionalism and this could become a major theme in the upcoming UN Future Summit. Likewise, the fate of the majority of the world is decided by unilateralism in the UN and other multilateral institutions where the need for reforms and mindset is more pressing than ever.

Human centric approach to development 
Realities of the 21st century cannot be confronted by the 20th century Victor and Vanquished mindset.

Hence, while urging the Global South to unite, speak in one voice and become each other's strength, PM Modi underscored the need for substantial and fundamental reforms of the multilateral and financial institutions lest they become irrelevant which should aim at inclusive global governance where the Global South should be able claim its rightful justice from those who continued to exploit and capitalize through colonial and neo colonial practices to the detriment of the developing world.

India has always promoted human centric approaches to the debt and developmental issues gaping at the Global South in an unforgiving manner as food and energy and fertilizer security remain elusive.

As such, PM Modi proposed a ‘Global Compact’ for sustainable development of the partner countries. He also committed that “Under this 'Development Compact', we will focus on trade for development, capacity building for sustainable growth, technology sharing, project specific concessional finance and grants. To boost trade promotion activities, India will launch a special fund of $2.5 million.”

Compact will be inspired by the development priorities set by the countries of the Global South themselves. It will be human-centric, multi-dimensional and promote a multi-sectoral approach to development. It will not put the needy countries under the burden of debt in the name of development finance. It will contribute in balanced and sustainable development of the partner countries, the PM added.

Need for collective initiatives 
Dr S Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister touched on the crux of the contest stating, “The overall context in which our discussion takes place is one of global challenges and risks, where the search for solutions is impeded by outdated thinking and vested interests. We can all see the problems, just as we can broadly figure out the answers. The real issue is that we do not seem to be able to get there for a variety of reasons.”

He identified a few issues of real concern which included - global institutions and governance architecture, access to finance and technology, need for collective initiatives, and making inter-dependence a strength.

‘Together we can’ has become the dictum for coexistence even though this is not going to be easy to implement at the grass root level but then the Global South is fully aware of these challenges and needs to rise to the occasion for serving their own national interests by working together in a conscious and concerted manner.

Global South and its vulnerabilities will remain the battlefield for geo politics in times to come as is already evident in the powers competing for their affection.

***The writer is a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation; he was the ambassador of India to Jordan, Libya, and Malta; views expressed here are his own 

(Note: This article first appeared in INN)