India's G20 millets initiative MAHARISHI faces roadblock from China

'China has raised objection to the Sanskrit short form of the millets initiative though they don't have a problem with the proposal per se'

India’s Group of Twenty (G20) millets initiative, MAHARISHI, has encountered a Chinese roadblock, hindering its inclusion in the G20 declaration aimed at strengthening research collaboration for millets.

While the Sanskrit acronym MAHARISHI (Millets And OtHer Ancient Grains International ReSearcH Initiative) was featured in the outcome document released following the G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) in April, it was conspicuously absent in the Chair’s summary released after the G20 Agriculture Ministers’ meeting in June.

An Indian G20 delegate said, “China has raised objections to the Sanskrit short form of the millets initiative, though it doesn’t have a problem with the proposal