The G20 Summit is scheduled to take place in India on September 9 and 10, and several prominent world leaders like US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Delhi to a warm welcome. At the sametime, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has engaged in bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, and Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina. President Biden also arrived in New Delhi for the summit and discussions held subsequently with PM Modi at his residence at 7:00 pm.
The national capital has been remarkably prepared to receive the foreign delegates for the G20 summit. This eminent G20 Leaders’ Summit is scheduled with enhanced security measures and it will take place at the recently inaugurated Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan. The G20 presidency was taken by India in December 2022 and almost 200 meetings relating to G20 were held in 60 cities across the country.
The G20 Summit is composed of the following members: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. The hosting city has been busy with the preparations, encompassing security, logistics, and other necessary measures, such as the temporary closure of schools and offices for the smooth functioning of the Summit.
Amidst the ongoing Ukraine conflict, leaders representing the G20 major economies are gathering in India to address the urgent global challenges. India has taken extensive measures, including the use of drones, murals, and large langur cutouts, to uphold the security and logistics for this event. While some world leaders have already arrived, few others are expected to land in the city today. Sources have informed ANI that various Union ministers of state have been tasked with welcoming the dignitaries on behalf of the government.
According to the ANI reports, US President Joe Biden left for India to join the summit, following COVID-19 guidelines from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). His wife, First Lady Jill Biden, tested positive for COVID-19, but President Biden’s tests were negative. Minister of State VK Singh will receive him upon arrival at 6.55 pm. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, the first Head of Delegation and was greeted by MoS Health SP Singh Baghel. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the WTO, arrived at New Delhi airport to participate in the summit. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, is also in attendance. Other world leaders, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of OECD, Minister of Economy Raquel Buenrostro Sánchez of Mexico, Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth of Mauritius, and European Council President Charles Michel, have been gathered in Delhi for the G20 Summit.
The 18th G20 Summit is the highest development of a year-long series of G20 processes and these meetings involved ministers, senior officials, and other civil societies. The New Delhi Summit will end with the adoption of a G20 Leaders’ Declaration, indicating the leaders’ dedication to the priorities that are discussed and agreed upon in various meetings.
