India hosts G20 Leaders Summit in a grand way; urges to work to build trust and confidence amid atmosphere of trust deficit

• Leaders of over 20 plus countries and special invitees at the meeting
• PM Narendra Modi welcomes the Leaders at Bharat Mandapam
• African Union admitted as a permanent member of the G20

By K V Prasad

NEW DELHI, September 9. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accorded a grand welcome to Leaders of the G20 and several special invitees at Bharat Mandapam, the new venue specially constructed at Pragati Maidan for the historic event.

PM Modi received the guests at the Mandapam with the Konark Wheel forming the backdrop and showcasing India’s heritage and history. The Wheel, built at the 13th Century monument in Odisha with 24 spokes is adapted into India’s national flag.

Highlighting the progress made during its presidency, PM Modi said India made it into a ‘People’s G20’ hosting over 200 meetings in 60 cities across all the States in the country. As the president, India exhorts the world to work together to mitigate Global Trust Deficit and turn it into an atmosphere of trust and confidence. This was possible when all countries in the group walked in this direction.

Underscoring the slogan of his Government of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ (Together, growth for all, with everyone’s trust and effort), he said that this could show the way forward for G20.

The grouping, which focuses on economic issues, is meeting amid challenges of upheaval in world economy; North-South divide; Distance between East and West; Managing Food, Fuel and Fertiliser; Terrorism and Cyber Security; Health, Energy, and Water Security. The Summit, he emphasised, should work to find solid ground to resolve these challenges for the present and future generations.

It was in the spirit of ‘Sabka Vikas’, that India urged for the inclusion of the African Union into the formation and ahead of the formal beginning of the meeting, PM Modi welcomed the Union as a permanent member.

Symbolically, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar walked up to the President of the African Union and the President of Comoros, Mr. Azali Assoumi, and escorted him to the high table to sit with the Leaders.

“Thrilled to have the African Union as a permanent member. A milestone for the G20 family indeed”., PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter). The moment also marked triumph for PM Modi who took the initiative of writing to leaders of the G20 for formal inclusion of African Union into the forum.

The Summit will be held on Saturday in two sessions, with the first “One Earth”, and the second “One Family” . The Leaders will have a window for meetings in between the two sessions and the dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu at the venue, which sparkled and shimmered under lights. The Summit will conclude on Sunday.

Leaders of the G20 began arriving earlier this week with most of them reaching New Delhi on Friday. Among them were the President of the United States Joseph R Biden, Prime Minister of UK Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. PM Modi is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with the President of UAE on Sunday.