India’s G20 presidency has added value, says Indonesian envoy

New Delhi [India]: Ina Krisnamurthi, Indonesia’s Ambassador to India has hailed India’s G20 presidency saying that it has added value and expressed confidence and hope that India through its G20 Summit will bring all leaders together on the table.

While speaking to media, the envoy pointed out that continuity and convergence of agenda of emerging economies are on the table and also between multilateral fora for the benefit of emerging economies.

“It’s one of the biggest engagement of leaders. So, I wish India all the very best logistically and substantively. India has done tremendously in bridging all differences. This presidency has added value. India comes in second after Indonesia as emerging economies and as you may know, under the G20 presidency four emerging economies will be in the helmet until 2025”, said the Indonesian envoy.

“We have consultation, coordination to ensure one the voice of emerging economies are heard. Second, continuity and convergence of agenda of emerging economies are on table. And third, making sure that the continuity and convergence not only in the G20, but also between multilateral fora also happen and for the benefit of emerging economies”, added the envoy.

Expressing optimism over having all the leaders together on the table, the envoy stressed that countries need to have an open mind on common concerns of all, rather than focusing on conflicts and tensions between countries.

“Indonesia hope that the G20 Summit will bring all leaders together on the table. We need to ensure that all people in the countries of G20 are willing to have open mind, on common concerns of all rather than focusing on conflicts, tensions between countries, because as you may know, global south in particular, are facing difficulties, challenges currently with disasters, climate change, post pandemic economy recovery, many issues that needs to be discussed.

So, we do hope that countries in G20, including the observers see more into the common concerns rather than the tensions and conflicts” added the Envoy.

Speaking further on India acting as a voice of global south, the ambassador said, “both the nations (India and Indonesia) are head on to voice the concerns of emerging economies and developing nations, in particular the global south’ and that ‘India could be one of the important leaders of global south”.

The envoy also said that there are ‘Positive indications’ of the Indonesian President coming for the G20 summit.

Responding to a query whether Indonesia has applied for the BRICS membership or any possibility of Jakarta joining, the envoy stated that her country hasn’t applied for the membership and that when it comes to membership, the criteria, interests, modalities needs to be clear first, before engagement or enlargement.

“Well, there’s strong and a positive indication that our leader, President Joko Widodo, will come to the BRICS summit as friends of BRICS. We haven’t applied for BRICS membership, because Indonesia has main principles in international engagement”, said the Envoy.

“We are open to anything, everything, but at the same time learning from past experience, including APEC, learning from ASEM as well as ASEAN and EAS.

When it comes to membership, the criteria, the interests, the modalities needs to be clear first, before engagement or enlargement in this matter.

So, Indonesia is open minded in when it comes to membership, but the criteria and modalities needs to be very clear”, she added further.

Speaking about India and Jakarta relations and ASEAN engagement, Ina believed that Jakarta as the chair ensure that the elevation of comprehensive strategic partnership between ASEAN and India will be in concreteness.

“We see that in ASEAN, India, we as the chair, make sure that there is an elevation of engagement between ASEAN and India. So, this chairmanship of Indonesia in ASEAN is to ensure that the elevation of comprehensive strategic partnership between ASEAN and India will be in concreteness, in more implementable programs, so that we will make sure that the epicenter of growth and also where ASEAN and India matters are there”, she said.

“We have close relations, socially, culturally and historically. But at the same time at the present and future, we need to also ensure that those footprints of the past is going to be very strong building blocks for the brighter future between Indonesia and India”, added the envoy.