India Highlights Principles of 'Sarvodaya' for Inclusive Path of Development at G7 Ministers' Meeting

India presented its Sarvodaya-based development approach at the second G7 Development Ministers meeting held in New York on September 24, 2026. The country was represented by Sibi George, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

About the Second G7 Development Ministers Meeting in New York

France, which holds the G7 chairmanship for 2026, organised this development ministers' meeting alongside the UN General Assembly sessions in New York. Such meetings bring together development ministers from G7 nations to discuss cooperation, global partnerships, and coordination on international development policy. Holding these sessions during major multilateral gatherings allows member countries to engage more efficiently with a wider set of global partners.

What is India's Sarvodaya and Development Policy?

Sarvodaya is a Sanskrit term meaning “welfare of all”, a concept closely tied to Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy and later carried forward by Vinoba Bhave. It has since become an important reference point in India's approach to inclusive growth and social welfare. At the New York meeting, India explained that its idea of development goes beyond just funding and also includes building domestic capabilities and strengthening resilience. India pointed to its own development partnership programmes as real examples of putting the Sarvodaya approach into practice.

Key Discussions Under 2nd G7 Development Ministers

Some of the major discussion under 2nd G7 Development Ministers is stresses human-centric, inclusive development

Sarvodaya Approach

India's Sarvodaya presentation formed a key part of the discussions, focusing on welfare for all, capacity-building, and development financing.

Broader G7 2026 Agenda

This meeting followed the main G7 Leaders' Summit held earlier in June 2026 at Évian-les-Bains, France, under President Emmanuel Macron, which addressed sustainable growth, risks from artificial intelligence, critical mineral supply chains, and ongoing geopolitical tensions in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Upcoming Energy Focus

Macron also announced that a separate G7 meeting would soon focus specifically on the global energy crisis, including possible use of strategic oil reserves.