India's G20 Priorities Face Test As China Challenges Its Recommendations On Women-Led Development

China has raised objections to key recommendations made by India regarding women-led development, which is one of India's six priorities within the G20 framework.

Beijing is particularly opposed to any "quota-based" systems.

These reservations from China were voiced during meetings of the W20 (Women 20) engagement group under the G20, which have been ongoing since February 2023, although the exact meeting where these objections were raised is not specified.

The W20 engagement group's role within the G20 is to facilitate discussions and consensus among member countries on five crucial areas: Women in Entrepreneurship, Women Leadership at the Grassroots, Bridging the Gender Digital Divide, Education and Skill Development, and Women and Girls as change-makers in Climate Resilience Action.

China's objections primarily revolve around India's proposal to establish a minimum quota for public procurement from enterprises led by or with greater representation of women.

China's opposition has prompted New Delhi to seek consensus on increasing the percentage of procurement of goods and services for the public sector from gender-inclusive organisations.

Public procurement, in this context, refers to the process by which governments and state-owned enterprises purchase goods and services from the private sector.

It is essential for governments to follow rigorous procedures to ensure fairness, efficiency, transparency, and responsible use of public resources in public procurement, as it involves a significant portion of taxpayers' money.

The source notes that despite the seemingly innocuous nature of promoting women-led management, there has been pushback within the G20 due to its diverse composition.

India's stance emphasises women's representation in all decision-making aspects, including climate financing.

The objections raised by China carry implications for India's G20 priorities.

Support from member countries is crucial to ensure that India's priorities are fully reflected in the leaders' declaration. Opposition to aspects of women-led development could potentially result in some essential recommendations in this area not being included in the final communique.

This is not the first instance of China opposing India's preferences during India's G20 presidency.

Earlier reports indicated China's objection to including the Sanskrit phrase "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", meaning "One World, One Family, One Future," in G20 related documents.

It's worth noting that New Delhi is hosting the leaders of the world's top economies for a two-day G20 Summit starting on 9 September.

The summit's discussions are taking place against the backdrop of concerns over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, global economic challenges, and climate change issues.