'Everyone Fell In Line When I Asked Them To Talk To Prime Minister Modi': G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant On Negotiations Over Leaders' Declaration

India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant has said that it was very tough to bring all G20 countries including China and Russia together for consensus on New Delhi declaration but India managed to do it.

The G20 declaration was adopted at the 18th Leaders' Summit in New Delhi.

He said that his team of diplomats, including joint secretaries Eenam Gambhir and Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur, played an important role in getting "everybody around".

"But in the final call, it was just the Prime Minister's leadership because after having done about 15 different drafts and 200 odd bilaterals, I took it to the last moment. At the last moment, the four sherpas realised that this was the best balance, this was the best perspective and it has taken care of everyone's redline," Kant said in an interview with Business Today.

"So, I took it to the Sherpas meeting late night. And, I said this will be the final version, we will make no changes. And if any country has an issue with this, please ask your leader to talk to my Prime Minister," he said.

"My Prime Minister, my leader has given me the green signal. He feels its a very good draft but if anyone of you has a challenge, please tell your leader to talk to my leader directly," Kant said.

Kant said that the Sherpas meet finished around 4 am in the morning and when he checked his mobile at about 7 am, there were "zero" objections.

"Everybody had fallen in line," he said.

"That really shows that the clout of the Prime Minister, it also shows the leadership of India and that's how it happened," Kant added.