Answer: The Global South is a term often used to identify regions within Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania whose economies are developing and not yet fully developed vis-à-vis the Global North (North America and Western Europe). Although the majority of the Global South countries are located in the tropics or the Southern Hemisphere, the term itself is strictly economic. The ‘Global South’ is significant because of its large population, rich cultures, and abundant natural resources. However, the region faces new and upcoming challenges, which are the following:

• Global warming and climate crisis: The most affected would be the regions in the Global South as climate change fosters inequality, increases insecurity, destabilizes existing relationships, fuels forced migration, and intensifies competition for key and scarce resources.
• Interferences in the region: China is increasingly making inroads in the Global South through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for developing infrastructure, which exacerbates challenges of debt trap and loss of economic sovereignty.
• Food and energy insecurity: The recent Ukraine-Russia war has led to high prices for energy and food, posing immediate threats to human security, particularly among low-income and vulnerable populations in the Global South. It has also aggravated the debt vulnerabilities in the region.
• COVID-19 pandemic: It has significantly impacted countries in the Global South due to their inadequate access to basic resources such as clean water, healthcare, medicines, etc. Additionally, they often have limited access to resources such as financial capital, technology, and infrastructure.

The role that India can play in empowering the voice of the Global South includes:

• Democratization in the functioning of the multilateral institutions: India can bring together like-minded countries and raise a common voice for fair representation in multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, United Nations Security Council, etc.
• Unifying the Global South: India has successfully positioned itself as a 21st century powerhouse and can play a vital role in unifying the Global South. For instance, the recent “Voice of the Global South Summit” hosted by India provides a platform for a common future and shaping a new world order.
• Responsible and trusted partner: India has made efforts to set its engagement in the region based on sustainable development programs, unlike China. For instance, India’s Vaccine Maitri program provided medications and vaccinations to over 100 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Digital transformation of the region: India’s public digital assets like the UPI, RuPay, and India Stack can be powerful instruments for the digital transformation of other developing and emerging countries in the Global South.

India is committed to utilizing the G20 presidency to give resonance to the voice of the Global South. Recent initiatives to establish the Global South Science and Technology Initiative, Global South Center of Excellence for research on development strategies, etc. India is taking steps in the right direction.

Answer: India would preside over the eight members Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), for a year until September 2023, which has the stated objective of promoting mutually beneficial regional cooperation in the security, cultural, economic, and developmental realms. The SCO is one of the biggest international organizations representing almost 30% of the global GDP and 40% of the global population and connects three regions of the world namely Eurasia, Central Asia, and South Asia. SCO Presidency as an opportunity for India:

• Deepening of relations with the Central Asian Region (CAR): India shares cultural, political, economic, and security interests with this region.
  • India’s existing outreach mechanism with CARs such as the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and India-Central Asia Dialogue mechanism would receive a further boost at the platform of the SCO.
  • Along with the continued focus on 3Cs cooperation, connectivity, and capacity, new pillars of collaboration such as security, energy, developmental, and defense sectors can be further strengthened.
  • It can provide opportunities for India to engage with the Central Asian nations on cultural issues. This can help to enhance cultural ties and promote greater understanding between India and the Central Asian nations.
• Economic opportunities: India can use its presidency to promote economic cooperation within the SCO and Central Asian region. For instance, facilitating negotiations for a regional free trade agreement or launching joint infrastructure projects.
• Greater connectivity: With the possible inclusion of Iran into the SCO, the INSTC and connectivity through the Chabahar Port can reach their full potential and bring markets, resources, and people of Eurasia and India closer to each other.
• Energy cooperation: Greater access to the CARs and operationalization of projects such as TAPI, with greater cooperation among SCO members, including Pakistan, can help India diversify its energy supplies. This would result in better energy security for India.
• Security cooperation: The institutionalized intelligence tracking and sharing under the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATs) of SCO can help India tackle the threat posed by radicalism, extremism, and terrorism. Further, threats emanating from Taliban rule in Afghanistan can be effectively addressed by wider cooperation among member states paving the way for regional stability in the region.
• Increased regional influence: India’s presidency of the SCO provides a platform for India to play a more active role in shaping the regional security architecture and promoting its strategic interests in the region. This can help to enhance India’s regional influence and visibility.
• Strengthen multi-polarity: The SCO platform presents India as a reliable developmental partner for CARs who are also looking to diversify their relations beyond Russia and China and strengthen their strategic autonomy.

The SECURE proposal of India has achieved wider acceptance among the SCO member states. However, to fully utilize the potential of its presidency and the SCO as a whole, India would have to involve in deft diplomacy and find a way around many contradictions in the group itself.