ANKARA: Where’s India? No women? No youth? Strange! India has gone unrepresented in the key engagement groups of G20 on women and youth. The host country Turkey is baffled. The efficient and in-your-face Narendra Modi government failing to provide names of delegates to champion the national cause in such an elite gathering- now isn’t that a telling point?

Women20 and Youth20 have members from all 20 countries of G20 as also the ‘invitee countries’. India’s absence was conspicuous given its size and place among the members.

Delegates from host Turkey, Australia, the US, France, Germany among other big economies have held forth on the burning issues of empowerment and employment in these meetings. W20 was launched by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Sunday.

The engagement groups — Labour20, Thinktank20, Civil Society20 among others — have emerged as niche advocacy hubs to supplement the goal of “inclusiveness” in economic growth. The Turkey presidency of G20 has listed three ‘I’s – Inclusiveness, Implementation and Infrastructure — as the priority for G20.

Disappointment with India in Ankara was palpable given that women’s independence and backwardness are key concerns vis-a-vis India. India also has the largest young population.

Officials in the host camp blamed India’s absence on the government’s failure to finalize the names. They denied that it reflected India’s reluctance to send delegates but said the government was probably unable to choose three persons from the crowded field of contenders wanting to be in W20 and Y20.

Dr Gulden Turktan, W20 president, told the media, “W20 wrote to India in June for three names but there has been no response.” She expressed hope that India would revert soon as the engagement groups finalize their reports to be factored in by the G20 in its heads of government summit in Antalya in November.

Y20 vice-chair Hakan Bingol said his group deals with youth bodies accredited by national governments and the names are forwarded by the respective foreign ministries. He hoped India would soon be part of Y20.

  Turkey, W20, women, Y20, youth