New Delhi: Exuding confidence in New Delhi as the “leader of the Global South”, Denmark's Ambassador to India, Freddy Svane said that the world needs a country like India which believes in democracy and rule of law, as alternative to powers who “debt-trap” the poor countries.

Svane called India the “leader of the Global South” and affirmed confidence that New Delhi will build between the Global South and other countries in the West.

“Since India has the presidency, I am very confident that India will be the leader of the Global South and will build a bridge between the West, US, Europe and so forth, Japan and the Global South. Mainly in Africa but also in Latin America,” he added.

He called the G20 Summit the biggest chance for India to set the direction for the future global world order.

Speaking to ANI, Svane said, “India has spent a lot of resources in securing that this summit will be the biggest, the greenest and the most successful one ever in G20. And G20 is much more relevant than we might think because that will set the direction for how we cope with climate change, shortage of food and all these challenges that are putting the world in a big crisis”.

In an apparent reference to China, the Denmark envoy stated that the world needs a country that believed in Democracy as an alternative to “other powers who are debt-trapping poor countries”

“My take is very clear. We need an alternative to other powers who are debt-trapping poor countries. We need a country that believes in democracy, in the rule of law and that's India, India is an alternative to a better future where we also work with countries in such a way that we're not being trapped by debt but they are being given new opportunities. Luckily, India is taking the lead. We will have a fantastic summit under the Indian leadership,” he said.

Svane further said that the G20 Summit is the biggest chance for India to set the direction for the future global world order, and everyone is hopeful that India’s presidency will further facilitate handling the global challenges

"This is the biggest challenge ever for this world. But it is also the biggest chance for India to set the direction for the future global world order that is what India is going to do. We are so hopeful that India will keep the compass and ensure that the needle is pointing at the global agenda that will make us capable of handling all the challenges that we are facing, including climate, shortage of food, fuel, and fertilizers. How do we deal with climate, financing, and digitisation,” the Denmark envoy said.

He added, “So great hopes as to the Indian presidency...it is so important that the global Leaders Summit being here in India in Delhi, they agree to a kind of common agenda based on a common perception of all these challenges that we are facing. You are suffering, I am suffering. We can live with that, but all people who are living in very poor conditions across the world, need our actions”.