Top negotiators from the G20 countries on Thursday kick started intense negotiations with a focus on India’s priority of ensuring inclusive global growth and addressing the challenges facing the Global South while keeping aside the contentious issues of the Ukraine conflict.

As New Delhi faces the uphill task of building consensus on the outcome documents for the grouping’s annual summit in September, India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said the immediate priority is to look at “ambitious” issues of development, growth, finance and digital transformation.

The top negotiators from the G20 member nations, invitee countries and delegates from various leading international institutions began their three-day deliberations under the Sherpa track on Thursday in this spiritual city.