On September 9th, 2023, the vibrant city of New Delhi, India, hosted the 18th Heads of State and Government Summit of the Group of 20 (G20). Under the Indian Presidency’s guidance, the G20 for 2023 adopted the profound and unifying theme: ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future.’ This theme underscores the intrinsic value of all life forms, including humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms, emphasizing their interconnectedness not only on Earth but throughout the universe.
The summit featured over 30 heads of state, along with esteemed officials from the European Union and guest nations who received coveted invitations to partake in this prestigious event.
To gain insights into the G20 Leaders’ Summit, we reached out to India’s leading entrepreneurs, CEOs, founders, and business leaders. Here are their major highlights:
Nandini Mansinghka, CEO of Mumbai Angels
Mansinghka believes that the G20 summit will positively impact India’s startup ecosystem. Under India’s G20 presidency, the nation introduced Startup20, facilitating dialogue between global startup ecosystem stakeholders and G20 leaders concerning macroeconomic concerns and entrepreneurial challenges. This year, the summit holds the key to shaping essential aspects for startups, including policies and regulations, potentially expanding market access, collaborations, investor confidence, and funding opportunities.
Mr. Dilip Chenoy, Chairman, Bharat Web3 Association
Chenoy acknowledges the proactive initiative by the Indian government in seeking global cooperation to regulate Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) and Web3. He emphasizes the need for comprehensive, pervasive, and coordinated global regulation for the sector, addressing issues such as AML/CFT guidelines, financial inclusion and stability, oversight and supervision, and unique methods of regulation for different asset classes within Web3.
Richard Teng, Head of Regional Markets at Binance
Teng commends Prime Minister Modi’s alignment with India’s growing role in the global economy. India’s leadership at the G20 presents an opportunity to shape international cryptocurrency regulations, fostering a sustainable and inclusive cryptocurrency ecosystem while protecting all stakeholders’ interests.
Mr. Kiran Vivekananda, Chief Public Policy Officer, CoinDCX
Vivekananda highlights the significance of global collaboration in regulating cryptocurrencies, given their borderless nature. Collaboration is essential to prevent regulatory arbitrage and foster responsible industry growth, as emerging technologies like Web3 and crypto offer both revolutionary benefits and challenges.
Mr. Trishneet Arora, Founder and CEO, TAC Security
Arora underscores the importance of cybersecurity and cloud computing in G20 nations, emphasizing the need to secure complex interconnected systems, adapt to emerging technologies, and foster international cooperation against evolving cyber threats.
Rajesh Sahay, Partner, Enterprise Consulting, Flipcarbon
Sahay acknowledges the establishment of Startup20, which recognizes startups as economic pillars and fosters a supportive ecosystem. The G20’s focus on sustainable growth, innovation, and inclusiveness aligns with the needs of startups, especially regarding trade barriers, digital infrastructure, and workforce development.
Shivam Thakral, CEO of Buycoin, India’s second-longest-running digital asset exchange
Thakral anticipates significant achievements for the global crypto ecosystem through India’s G20 presidency. He acknowledges the need for a regulatory framework for AI and crypto, instilling confidence among users and providing clarity for the industry’s future.
Om Malviya, President at Tezos India
Malviya highlights the necessity for global coordination of crypto regulations, fostering a uniform, crypto-friendly policy framework. He believes that discussions on crypto policy within the G20 summit will promote innovation while mitigating risks, shaping the future of crypto in a progressive and secure manner.
Manhar Garegrat, Country Head for India and Global Partnership at Liminal
Garegrat emphasizes the importance of global cooperation in regulating digital assets and addressing challenges such as money laundering and market manipulation. He anticipates regulatory frameworks to enhance trust and security in the digital asset industry.
Denis Sklyarov, Co-Founder and CEO of WiFi Map
Sklyarov recognizes the G20 summit as an opportunity to unite nations in governing and harnessing the potential of deep tech, including cryptocurrencies and AI. He advocates for responsible integration of these technologies into societies, creating a harmonious future.
Mr. Shailendra Singh Rao, Founder, Creduce
Rao stresses the need to address climate action, especially concerning SMEs, by promoting green technologies and sustainable practices. Initiatives such as a Green Entrepreneurship Fund, Climate Technology Transfer Hub, Climate Skills Training Program, and removal of trade barriers for green goods and services are essential.
Anuj Arora, Co-founder & COO SahiBandhu
Arora expects the G20 Summit to foster financial inclusion, digital literacy, and last-mile connectivity, benefiting SMEs, banking, aggregators, NBFCs, and more. He anticipates insightful dialogue and policy formation to strengthen India’s economic growth and inclusivity.
Rajagopal Menon, Vice President, WazirX
Menon anticipates a robust and agile regulatory framework from the G20 summit, fostering global cooperation while ensuring user protection and promoting blockchain technology’s utility worldwide.
Mr. Harshal Sonawane, Head of Sustainability, nurture.farm
Sonawane emphasizes the critical role of agriculture in climate change mitigation and calls for innovation, sustainable practices, and international cooperation to create a greener future for agriculture and the planet.
These insights from India’s business leaders shed light on the diverse expectations and thoughts surrounding the G20 Leaders’ Summit, highlighting the importance of global collaboration and forward-thinking policies in addressing pressing challenges and shaping a brighter economic future.
