During the two-day summit, Macron has scheduled bilateral meetings with several world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as confirmed by his office.
Delegates at the G20 summit have arrived at a consensus regarding the wording surrounding Russia’s incursion into Ukraine, as conveyed by an informed source in discussions with Reuters on Saturday.
Furthermore, G20 delegates continue to deliberate on the possibility of issuing either a collective statement by the leaders or a formal communique as the conclusion of their two-day summit, which is taking place in New Delhi, as indicated by the same source.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Saturday that the Group of 20 (G20), comprising the world’s leading economic nations, has reached a consensus to grant permanent membership to the African Union.
As the host of this year’s G20 summit, Modi has prioritized amplifying the voices of Global South nations as a central theme of his agenda.
For seven years, the African Union has actively advocated for full membership within the G20, and this decision to include the alliance of over 50 countries stands as a significant recognition of Africa’s increasing global significance.
It’s worth noting that the European Union is already a permanent member of the G20, making it the sole other regional bloc with this distinguished status.
PM Modi welcomed world leaders who arrived for the G20 summit in New Delhi.
Modi exchanged greetings with Ajay Banga, the head of the World Bank, Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and various other delegates as they arrived in the Indian capital for a two-day deliberation on pressing global matters.
A commitment to investigate the development of a significant railway and port initiative aimed at linking the Middle East with India and Europe is set to be formalized during the G20 summit, as announced by US officials on Saturday.
According to Jon Finer, Deputy National Security Advisor of the United States, a memorandum of understanding will be signed to “examine the potential for a transportation network encompassing both shipping and rail services, facilitating the movement of trade, energy, and information from India, through the Middle East, and into Europe.”
This gathering will witnessed the presence of over 30 heads of state, along with top officials from the European Union and invited guest countries, along with 14 leaders of international organizations.
At the commencement of the G20 summit this Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sign referred to India as “Bharat,” leading to speculation about a potential name change for the South Asian nation.
India is alternatively known as Bharat, Bharata, and Hindustan—its historical names—in various Indian languages, and these terms are commonly used both informally and officially.
Traditionally, the country has typically used “India” when communicating in English, particularly in titles like president or prime minister. However, earlier this week, President Droupadi Murmu caused a stir by referring to herself as the “President of Bharat” in an invitation for a G20 leaders’ reception.
During the inauguration of the summit in New Delhi, Modi was seated behind a nameplate bearing the word “Bharat,” while the G20 logo displayed both names, with “Bharat” written in Hindi and “India” in English.
It’s worth noting that previous placards have featured the name “India.”
Addressing the audience in Hindi, the language spoken by the majority of the population, Modi extended a warm welcome to the delegates as the President of the G20 on behalf of “Bharat.”