Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant has been appointed India’s new Sherpa for the G20. It may be recalled that India will preside over the G20 Summit later this year.
India will take over as president of the G20 from December 1 to November 30, 2023. Kanta was appointed on Thursday, given the need for full-time sherpas for this period.
On the other hand, apart from the outgoing Sherna Goel, the former Sherpas for the G20 include Suresh Prabhu, Shaktikanta Das and Mantek Singh Ahluwalia. One may recall that Amitabh Kant took over as NITI Aayog in 2016. His term ended in 2021, but the term was extended again for a year in June.
Kant also served as chairman of Empowered Group III, one of the 11 groups set up by the central government to tackle the Covid-19 epidemic.