Shaktikanta Das appointed India's G20 Sherpa until December 2018

Former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das was today appointed India's G20 Sherpa till December 31, 2018, for the Development Track of the grouping.

"Former DEA secretary Sh Shaktikanta Das @DasShaktikanta appointed India's G20 Sherpa till December 31, 2018, for the Development Track of the G20," the Ministry of Finance said in a series of tweets.

There are two tracks in G20 -- the Finance Track and the Development Track.

"Finance Track is managed by the Secretary (Economic Affairs), Ministry of Finance, as India's Deputy to G-20 and the Development Track is coordinated by the Sherpa. The Department of Economic Affairs will provide necessary support to the Sherpa," it added.

Former Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya had suggested to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find a full-time Sherpa for G20 talks as India's role is expanding in the global arena.

Panagariya was appointed India's Sherpa for the G20 talks in September 2015, replacing the then railway minister Suresh Prabhu.

Sherpas, who are representatives of leaders of G20 member countries, coordinate on the agenda of the summit.

As per practice, the deputy chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission used to be the Sherpa for G20 talks. During the UPA regime, former deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia was Sherpa for G20 talks.

The G20, a central forum for international cooperation on financial and economic issues, accounts for more than four- fifths of gross world product and is home to almost two-thirds of the world's population.