On Wednesday, November 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over a virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit where topics like the Delhi Declaration’s execution and emerging global concerns will be discussed.
The virtual summit, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), would expand upon the main conclusions and recommendations from the G20 annual summit, which India presided over and was held in September. The recent Israel-Hamas conflict and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war are two of the most important topics on the agenda, with an emphasis on how they may affect international stability and economic recovery.
At a press conference, India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, stated that “excellent participation” from the member country leaders is anticipated for the summit.
Like the previous time, though, Premier Li Qiang will represent China at the summit after receiving an invitation from India; President Xi Jinping will not be present. The Chinese government conveyed optimism that the summit will promote collaboration in addressing global issues and favorably impact the global economic recovery.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, will take part in the virtual summit, the Kremlin confirmed. This is in contrast to his absence from the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September, when Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister, represented him. Putin’s absence at the time was explained by the Kremlin as a need to focus on the circumstances in Ukraine. Putin had also been absent from the G20 meeting in Bali the year before.
Amitabh Kant called the impending virtual summit “rare and exceptional,” pointing out that it gives PM Modi another chance to interact with world leaders before India’s presidency of the G20 is handed over to Brazil the following month.
While leaders are likely to address a number of other urgent challenges, development is expected to be the main topic of discussion. According to Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, “a large majority of G20 leaders” are anticipated to attend the gathering.
The significance of international discourse on contemporary global challenges is highlighted by the fact that this virtual meeting follows an unusual BRICS meeting that was centered on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.