BACKGROUND

The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France,
Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa,
Türkiye, United Kingdom, and United States) and European Union. The G20 members represent around
85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation and it plays an important role in
shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic
issues.

The G20 does not have a permanent secretariat or staff. Instead, the G20 Presidency rotates annually
among the members and is selected from a different regional grouping of countries. The 19 member
countries are therefore divided up into five groups comprising a maximum of four countries each. Most
of the groups are formed on a regional basis, that is countries from the same region are usually put in
the same group. Only Group 1 (Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United States) and Group 2
(India, Russia, South Africa and Türkiye) do not follow this pattern. Group 3 includes Argentina, Brazil,
and Mexico; Group 4 includes France, Germany, Italy, and United Kingdom; and Group 5 includes China,
Indonesia, Japan, and Republic of Korea. The EU, the 20th member, is not a member of any of these
regional groups.

Each year another country from a different group assumes the G20 Presidency. The countries in a group
are each equally entitled to take on the Presidency when it is their group's turn, though. India, from
Group 2, holds the current Presidency of the G20 from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023.

The G20 Presidency is responsible for bringing together the G20 agenda in consultation with other
members and in response to developments in the global economy. To ensure continuity, the Presidency
is supported by a “troika” made up of the current, immediate past and next host countries.

During India’s Presidency, the members of the G20 troika are Indonesia, India and Brazil.

Inception of G20

The G20 was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 as an informal forum for the
Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the most important industrialized and developing
economies to discuss international economic and financial stability.

Elevation to Leaders’ level

The G20 was upgraded to the level of Heads of State/Government in the wake of the global economic
and financial crisis of 2007, and in 2009, when it became apparent that the necessary crisis coordination
would only be possible at the highest political level. Since then, the G20 Leaders have met regularly, and
the G20 has become the premier forum for international economic cooperation.

The G20 Summit is held annually, under the leadership of a rotating Presidency. The forum initially
focused largely on broad macroeconomic issues, but it has since expanded its agenda to inter-alia
include trade, climate change, sustainable development, health, agriculture, energy, environment,
climate change, and anti-corruption.

Guest Countries and Invited International Organizations

 In addition to the member countries, i.e., 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China,
France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South
Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and the United States) and the European Union, each G20 Presidency
invites other guest countries and international organizations (IOs) to participate in the G20 meetings and
Summit.

G20 STRUCTURE

Sherpa Track

It is headed by Sherpa who is the representative of the Leader.

Focus areas: Socio-economic issues such as agriculture, anti-corruption, climate, digital economy,
education, employment, energy, environment, health, tourism, trade and investment. The Working
Groups under this track include:

I. Agriculture Working Group

II. Anti-corruption Working Group
III. Culture Working Group
IV. Development Working Group
V. Digital Economy Working Group 4
VI. Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group
VII. Education Working Group
VIII. Employment Working Group
IX. Energy Transitions Working Group
X. Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group
XI. Health Working Group
XII. Tourism Working Group
XIII. Trade and Investment Working Group.

Finance Track

It is headed by the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, who generally meet four
times a year, with two meetings being held on the side-lines of WB/IMF meetings.
Focus areas: Fiscal and monetary policy issues such as the global economy, infrastructure,
financial regulation, financial inclusion, international financial architecture, and international
taxation. The Working Groups and Workstreams under this track include:
I. Framework Working Group
II. II. International Financial Architecture Working Group
III. III. Infrastructure Working Group
IV. IV. Sustainable Finance Working Group
V. V. Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion
VI. VI. Joint Finance and Health Task Force
VII. VII. International taxation Issues
VIII. VIII. Financial Sector Issues.

Initiatives
• Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering

Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG), besides the Sherpa Track Working
Groups, aims to enhance, intensify, and strengthen research and innovation collaboration
among the G20 member countries. RIIG is furthering the work of the Academic Forum held
during the Italian Presidency in 2021, by bringing together science, technology and
innovation experts of the G20 member countries.

• G20 EMPOWER

The G20 Alliance for the Empowerment and Progression of Women’s Economic
Representation (G20 EMPOWER) was launched during the G20 Osaka Summit in 2019. It
aims to accelerate women’s leadership and empowerment in the private sector by
leveraging its unique alliance among business leaders and governments across the G20
countries.

• SPACE ECONOMY LEADERS MEETING

Under India’s G20 Presidency, Indian Space Research organization/ Department of Space
(ISRO/DOS) is organizing the 4th edition of the Space Economy Leaders Meeting (SELM) to
continue the deliberations on the significance of space in shaping the global economy. The
previous editions of SELM were organized by the Saudi Space Commission (2020), Italian
Space Agency (2021) and National Research & Innovation Agency, Indonesia (2022).
Considering importance of New Space in shaping the global economy, the theme for this
year’s SELM is “Towards a New Space ERA (Economy, Responsibility, Alliance)”.

• G20 CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS ROUNDTABLE (CSAR)

The G20-CSAR is a new initiative launched during India’s ongoing Presidency of the G20.
G20- CSAR will bring together the Chief Scientific advisors of the G20 Heads of
state/Government with the objective of creating an effective institutional
arrangement/platform to discuss global Science and Technology (S&T) policy issues, which
can subsequently evolve into an effective and coherent global science advice mechanism.
Furthermore, G20-CASR aims to come up with solutions to some of the issues faced by the
global S&T ecosystem. The priority areas of CSAR during India’s G20 Presidency include
“One Health” and facilitating shared scientific infrastructure for global good, and
collaboration in emerging and futuristic technologies & evolving standards. The first meeting
of G20 CSAR was at Ramnagar, located in the Kumaon region of the state of Uttarakhand
from 28-30th March 2023.

Engagement Groups

As part of the G20 members' commitment to consult relevant stakeholder communities,

dialogue is facilitated through the engagement groups, comprising nongovernment
participants from each G20 member. These groups often draft recommendations to the G20
Leaders that contribute to the policy-making process. The engagement groups are as
follows:

I. Business20
II. Civil20
III. Labour20
IV. Parliament20
V. Science20
VI. SAI20
VII. Startup20
VIII. Think20
IX. Urban20
X. Women20
XI. Youth20