How Golf Diplomacy Secured India's G20 Consensus: Amitabh Kant Reveals the Secret Behind New Delhi Declaration

At the NDTV World Summit, Former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant revealed an intriguing diplomatic insight: the consensus on the 2023 New Delhi Declaration was achieved on a golf course.

Speaking at the event where the NDTV Golf Pro-Am was launched, Kant explained, "The best way to reach consensus is on the golf course. During our G20 challenges, we ultimately brought the sherpas to the ITC golf course, and that's where we secured the settlement. Without the golf course, India might not have achieved the G20 consensus."

"That's precisely how we obtained the final round of consensus with all the sherpas," he elaborated during a panel discussion that also featured Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) President and 1983 Cricket World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev.

India's G-20 chairmanship was particularly notable for securing an unexpected consensus among leaders, especially regarding the contentious language related to Russia's war, as well as on global climate change action and the admission of the African Union as a full member of the group.

Following the declaration's adoption, Kant had stated in a press briefing, "When our presidency began, PM Modi emphasized that India's leadership should be inclusive, decisive, and action-oriented. The New Delhi Declaration comprises 83 paragraphs, all with 100 percent consensus across all countries. There are eight paragraphs on geopolitical issues titled 'Planet, People, Peace and Prosperity', and all eight received complete consensus."

"Every country unanimously supported the New Delhi Leaders Declaration. This declaration stands without a single footnote and without any Chair's Summary. It represents a complete statement with 100 percent unanimity," he added.

During the NDTV World Summit session, Kant also expressed his strong belief in golf's potential in India.

"After 47 years in government, I can confidently say that the maximum potential any sport has in India is golf," he remarked.

"India will produce the world's top champions. We have very young demographics with an average age of 28. For the next 30 years, all the Tommy Fleetwoods of the world will emerge from India. All the top champions, the Tiger Woods, will all come from India in the future," Kant predicted.