20230913 Cover India faces decisive diplomatic test at G20 img

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his chairmanship of this year's G20 summit to showcase his government's policy of "multialignment," which seeks good relations with Russia, China and the U.S. simultaneously. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

G20 summit showcases India's fence-sitting foreign policy

Seeking leadership of the Global South, Modi hedges bets while economy benefits

STEVEN BOROWIEC and KIRAN SHARMA, Nikkei staff writers

September 13, 2023 06:00 JST

NEW DELHI -- As he took the podium at the Group of 20 summit, Indian foreign minister S. Jaishankar touted his country as a bringer of geopolitical harmony in an era of rising great power rivalry.

India faced the task of leading a "very broad, very diverse" cast of member states, Jaishankar said on Saturday in New Delhi, at the end of contentious negotiations over the joint leaders' declaration.