New Delhi, May 13 -- The G20 claims to be "the premier forum for international economic cooperation".

But is it?

As scholars of global economic governance, we are sceptical of this claim. Here are our main reasons.

The G20 is insufficiently representative of the 193 member states of the United Nations plus the small number of non-member states.

It is a self-selected group of 19 countries and the European and African Unions.

It has no mandate to act or speak on behalf of the international community.

It has no transparent or formal mechanisms through which it can communicate with actors who do not participate in the G20 but have a stake in its deliberations and their outcomes.

The growing tensions in the world make it more urgent to...