Why in News?

• Recently, Japan has taken the initiative to raise the Global South to the top of the G7 agenda.

Highlights

• Japan is hosting G7 summit 2023 at Hiroshima. With India wanting to make the voice of the Global South heard at this year’s G20 summit, there is much new room for global political collaboration between Delhi and Tokyo.
• The term ‘Global South’ began by loosely referring to those countries that were left out of the industrialisation era and had a conflict of ideology with the capitalist and communist countries, accentuated by the Cold War.
• It includeincludees countries that are mostly in Asia, Africa and South America.
• Moreover, Global North is defined essentially by an economic division between the rich and poor countries.
• Global North’ refers loosely to countries like the US, Canada, Europe, Russia, Australia and New Zealand.
• ‘Global South’ is significant because of its large population, rich cultures, and abundant natural resources.
• Understanding the Global South is important for addressing global issues such as poverty, inequality, and climate change.
• Many countries in the Global South struggle with extreme poverty, which can manifest in a range of issues such as malnutrition, lack of access to education, and inadequate healthcare.
• The Global South Is often marked by significant inequalities, both within countries and between countries.
• For example, there may be significant disparities in wealth and access to resources between urban and rural areas, or between different ethnic or socioeconomic groups.
• Championing the Global South today would demand more active Indian engagement with the messy regional politics within the developing world.
• India must also come to terms with the fact that the Global South is not a coherent group and does not have a single shared agenda.
• There is much differentiation within the South today in terms of wealth and power, needs and capabilities.
• This demands a tailored Indian policy to different regions and groups of the developing world.
• India is eager to become a bridge between the North and the South by focusing on practical outcomes rather than returning to old ideological battles.
• If India can translate this ambition into effective policy, there will be no contradiction between the simultaneous pursuit of universal and particular goals.