G20: Montek India’s man at sherpa meet

Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia will lead the delegation to the G-20 sherpas (preparatory) meet on March 11 in London where issues such liquidity crunch and reforms in international financial institutions are likely be taken up. The G-20 will discuss issues on ending protectionism in trade,undertake mechanisms to increase access to trade finance and increase development assistance. India has maintained that in the current economic crisis,development aid should go to growth engines such as India and China,which have the potential to boost world GDP.

“Beside Ahluwalia,RBI governor D Subbarao and economic affairs secretary Ashok Chawla will also be there,” a senior government official said on Monday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,is likely to attend the G-20 London Summit on April 2,hosted by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

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The world leaders at the London Summit would emphasise that all countries renounce protectionism,with a transparent mechanism to monitor commitments and measures to increase access to trade finance; agree for reform of financial regulation and international financial institutions; and honour commitments to increase development assistance to protect the poorest from the impact of the crisis.

While the focus of the summit will be on jobs,financial stability and security,terrorism-related issues will also figure in the discussions.