India is celebrating its G20 presidency like probably no other country before. Critics see this as an attempt by the Hindu nationalist Modi government to use the upcoming summit primarily for its own benefit.
Narendra Modi is proud of India, and you can hear that in every sentence: “Dear 1.4 billion members of our family, we are the largest democracy in the world, and we are also number one in terms of population,” he greeted the people during his speech on Indian Independence Day on August 15th.
As of this year, India is probably the most populous country on earth, having overtaken China. And anyway, his country is in the fast lane, Modi said with great pathos: “My dear family members, it is certain that India’s abilities and opportunities will reach new heights, and these new abilities and new strengths should be encouraged. Today, our country has the Opportunity to host the G20 summit.”
events throughout the country
Since it began last December, India’s G20 presidency has been celebrated like perhaps no other presidency before it. Sometimes it seems as if the whole country is paved with the Indian G20 logo with the lotus flower. Posters everywhere with the motto “One World, One Family, One Future” – and of course with the picture of a kind-looking Narendra Modi. Each working meeting became a small summit, the G20 circus reached almost every corner of the subcontinent.
This is important for his country, says G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, the Indian government’s chief negotiator: “We hold G20 meetings in every state in India. You have to know that India is bigger than the European Union. It’s a very big country , a vibrant democracy. And instead of having the G20 meetings in just one or two cities, we’re doing it in every Indian state, in 60 cities across the country. We’ve taken the G20 everywhere and asked the states to promote their culture , their regional art, their handicrafts.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows how to present himself – and is using the G20 presidency to do so.
The equivalent of 110 million euros is the budget for the G20 presidency – and with that you can do a lot in India. The money was well invested, Prime Minister Modi said on Independence Day: “The way in which various G20 events and programs have been organized in every corner of India since last year has shown the world the capabilities of ordinary people.” These events showcased the diversity of India, Modi said. “The world is watching with wonder at India’s diversity, and as a result, the attraction to India has increased. The desire to get to know and understand India is growing.”
More for Modi than for India?
Modi did a lot of things right, say those who appreciate him. He brought international events closer to people across India. At the same time he introduced India to the world. The value of the G20 presidency should not be overestimated, according to Modi-friendly media. The journalist Hartosh Singh Bal from the left-liberal Caravan Magazine sees it very differently: “It’s actually much more important for the prime minister than for India itself. This is much more of a carefully executed domestic campaign than an international one.”
For Modi, the main thing is to look good in the run-up to the nationwide parliamentary elections next spring. But the summit could fail, Hartosh Singh Bal fears – not only because important heads of state are missing: “Is there anything substantial in sight that this presidency will achieve? Unlikely. Will there be a joint declaration by all participants on Ukraine? Unlikely. Or it will will only be platitudes. But he has managed, with the support of media loyal to him, to create a larger-than-life image of himself, both domestically and internationally.”
A gifted one self marketer
Larger than life – that’s definitely it. The Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi is, as his critics also say, a brilliant self-marketer and practically his country’s first event manager. Everything he says sounds big, pathetic, meaningful: “We must make a new pact to fulfill the dreams of 1.4 billion compatriots. When the Indian tricolor is hoisted in 2047, the world will praise a developed India .”
Criticism of Modi’s leadership style, his dealings with the opposition, his policies towards religious minorities such as Muslims – all of this is taking a backseat, it seems, to the prime minister who is leading India’s G20 presidency. The G20 is now also part of the 72-year-old’s political legacy, says journalist Hartosh Singh Bal: “Many different images of Mr Modi with G20 political leaders – these will get bigger and bigger in the media over time. That will be all that’s left.”