New Delhi - The Think20 Summit, an essential engagement group of the G20 nations, will take place in Mysuru, Karnataka, from July 31 to August 2, with the Observer Research Foundation serving as the Think20 Secretariat.

As the official 'ideas bank' for the G20, the Think20 facilitates in-depth discussions on policy matters relevant to the multilateral grouping by bringing together esteemed think tanks and high-level experts. The Think20 Summit is the pinnacle event of Think20 India, where distinguished members of the seven Think20 Task Forces and policy experts from around the world will congregate. During the three-day conference, a wide range of topics will be covered, including sustainable development, macroeconomics and trade, women-led development, digital transformation, green transition, the global financial order, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), among others.

The Think20 Communique, to be released during the Summit, will present policy recommendations derived from the official statements of the seven Think20 India Task Forces. Additionally, the Communique draws upon Policy Briefs authored by researchers and scholars worldwide, as well as highlights from the Think20 Ideas Box, an initiative to encourage public engagement in the G20 process. Furthermore, four associated publications will be launched at the Summit.

"We, at Observer Research Foundation, are honored to serve as the Secretariat for the Think20 under India’s G20 Presidency. This engagement group acts as the ideas bank for the leaders of the G20 countries," stated Samir Saran, Chair of the Think20 Secretariat and President of Observer Research Foundation.

Saran expressed gratitude to the collaboration of over 131 co-chairs from the G20 and other invited countries, who worked diligently for the past eight months to formulate comprehensive and specific recommendations for consideration by the G20 leadership. The Think20 India has hosted over 60 events across all continents in the last six months, fostering a stronger G20 community that includes diverse voices from varied backgrounds.

The Think20 Summit is the fourth and final key event organized by Think20 India. So far, it has hosted 64 side events in 22 cities across India and abroad, and published more than 300 policy briefs from 706 institutions.

The Summit promises to be an influential gathering, with esteemed attendees like External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, and Tunisia’s Former Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa delivering keynote addresses. Other notable participants include Maria Espinosa, Former President of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly and Executive Director of GWL Voices, Muktesh Pardeshi, Special Secretary (G20), Ministry of External Affairs, and Shamika Ravi, Member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, among many others.

Eminent members of the think tank community such as Ashima Goyal, Emeritus Professor, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Manjeet Kripalani, Executive Director, Gateway House, India, and Radhicka Kapoor, Senior Visiting Fellow, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, India, will also be in attendance.

Alongside the Summit, special events will be hosted by organizations like Dasra, World Resources Institute, Shell, UNAIDS, IDOS, and Gateway House.

Ambassador Sujan Chinoy, Chair of Think20 Core Group of India’s G20 Presidency and Director General of Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, emphasized that India's G20 Presidency is an opportunity to address key developmental challenges globally and build consensus on economic recovery, climate change, green transition, digital infrastructure, and achieving the UN's 2030 SDGs.