G20 2023 highlights: On Xi Jinping skipping meet, Jaishankar says ‘not unusual’

The Supreme Court on Wednesday was illuminated with Tricolour, as India geared up to host the G20 Summit in the national capital.

The G20 Leaders Summit will be held in New Delhi on September 9-10 in which many world leaders and delegates will participate.

The G20 Summit in New Delhi marks a "monumental" year for India, as the fastest-growing major economy and the most populous nation in the world, the head of a leading India-US business advocacy group said on Wednesday.

India is hosting the annual G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10.

The African Union Commission said Wednesday it has not yet been invited to the G20 summit this weekend, amid expectations it is set to become the bloc's newest member.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is hosting the G20 summit in New Delhi on Friday and Saturday, has called for the pan-African body to join.

"To date, the AU Commission has not yet received an invitation to participate at the said summit," Ebba Kalondo, spokeswoman for AU Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat, told AFP.

In view of the G20 Summit scheduled to be held in the national capital on September 9 and 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday convened a meeting of the Council of Ministers and instructed his ministers that "no minister other than the authorized person should speak on the G-20 meeting."

According to the sources, "In the Council of Ministers meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave advice to his ministers, saying that no minister other than the authorized person should speak at the G-20 meeting."

Flag marches, enhanced patrolling and picket checking are among the measures taken by the Delhi Police to maintain law and order in the national capital for the G20 Summit, officials said on Wednesday.

The G20 Leaders' Summit will be held in Delhi from September 9-10.

A senior police officer said they are conducting flag marches in their district every day.

It is for China to decide what role it plays at the G20 Summit in New Delhi, a top US official has said, asserting that if Beijing wants to come in and be a "spoiler", that option is available to it.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was responding to a question at a White House news conference on Tuesday on the impact of India-China border tensions on the G20 Summit.

"As far as the question of tensions between India and China affecting the (G20) summit - really that's up to China. If China wants to come in and play the role of spoiler, of course, that option is available to them,” he said.

India-US relations will get a further boost with President Joe Biden’s visit to New Delhi for the G20 Summit under India’s presidency, a senior US official said here on Wednesday, underlining that the high-profile meeting comes against the backdrop of the country's successful positioning as the voice for the emerging economies.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar said during the G20 Finance ministerial meeting here in the national capital that his country is looking forward to collaborating with India and becoming part of the G20 decision-making process globally.

"It is wonderful. We look forward to it. We look forward to future collaboration, closer collaboration. We have always collaborated with India...Nigeria is on the table and wants to be part of the decision-making process globally," the Nigerian Minister said.

The G20 Presidency further enhances focus on India which has become one of the best destinations to invest globally, Ashok Leyland Executive Chairman Dheeraj Hinduja said on Wednesday.

The Hinduja Group flagship Ashok Leyland is the second largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the country. The Chennai-headquartered USD 4.5-billion firm is the fourth largest manufacturer of buses in the world, and the 19th largest manufacturers of trucks.

India is gearing up for a grand display of its digital prowess during the upcoming G20 Summit, with showcase of its tech advancements and flagship platforms like Aadhaar and UPI, while an all-new GITA application is expected to be another draw for visiting delegates.

Delegates visiting the Digital India experience zone at the G20 Summit venue in New Delhi's Pragati Maidan will get a chance to discover the GITA application and seek answers to life's deeper questions inspired by Shrimad Bhagwad Gita, a senior official from IT Ministry said.

Multiple security agencies, 19 markswomen, and special commissioner of police-rank officers as venue commanders are part of the "foolproof" security arrangements put in place by the Delhi Police for the G20 Summit in the city.

According to officials, police will be maintaining a hawk-eye vigil during the summit, with the assistance of over 50,000 personnel, K9 dog squads and mounted police.

Nearly 450 large banners bearing images of Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, Lotus Temple and other iconic heritage sites in Delhi have been put up across the city by the municipal corporation to welcome heads of state and other international guests who will arrive here for the G20 Summit.

Eighty teams of medical personnel, 130 ambulances, and advanced life support teams to escort VVIP carcades will be deployed as part of preparations to handle medical emergencies during the G20 Summit here.

Besides these, five government hospitals and three private medical facilities have been put on "high alert" in view of the summit, officials said.

India's diversity and its extraordinary successes means it is the "right country" at the "right time" to hold the G20 presidency, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday, as he hailed Narendra Modi’s leadership over the last year, noting that India’s presidency of the bloc came when the world is facing innumerable challenges.

Ahead of the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spelt out a set of dos and don'ts to be observed by ministers during the two-day event to ensure that the visiting dignitaries are not put to any inconvenience, sources said.

The ministers have been asked to ditch their official vehicles and use the shuttle service to reach the Bharat Mandapam and other venues of various meetings.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived here on Wednesday and met his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi to discuss with her the East Asia Summit to be held in Jakarta and the G20 Summit to take place in New Delhi.

Jaishankar met Marsudi soon after he arrived in the Indonesian capital to attend the ASEAN Summit-related meetings.

Delhi government on Wednesday said the national capital is ready to welcome foreign delegates and said all the preparations for the G20 Summit are complete.

Addressing a press conference, cabinet ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj shared details of the preparations done by the Delhi government for the event.

"It is a matter of great pride that our country is hosting the G20 Summit. I congratulate the Centre for coming up with a grand convention centre at Pragati Maidan where the G20 Summit will be held. Ten roads have been refurbished for the G20 Summit and extensive beautification work has been undertaken," Atishi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday remarked that the magnificent Nataraja statue at Bharat Mandapam brings to life aspects of India’s rich history and culture.

Sharing a post on the social media platform, X, by Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, the Prime Minister said, “The magnificent Nataraja statue at Bharat Mandapam brings to life aspects of our rich history and culture. As the world gathers for the G20 summit, it will stand as a testament to India's age-old artistry and traditions.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be travelling to New Delhi on Saturday for the President’s G20 dinner, officials said on Wednesday.

Banerjee will be flying to the national capital at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu, they said.

Taking India’s G20 Presidency as an opportunity to showcase the country's digital public goods to the world and its ‘Digital India’ initiative, the central government has decided to provide hands-on experiences to around 1,000 visiting foreign delegates with UPI wallets technology, besides explaining them about ease of making payments through the indigenous solution.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will meet Nigerian President Bola Tinubu here on Wednesday ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi.

Nigerian President Tinubu is the first head of state to arrive in the national capital for the G20 summit scheduled to be held on September 9, 10. It is also Tinubu’s first visit to India since the assumption of office in May 2023.

The Delhi Police on Wednesday urged people not to visit India Gate and Kartavya Path for activities such as walking, cycling and picnicking in view of the G20 Summit.

The mega event is slated to be held from September 9 to 10 at the newly built international convention and exhibition centre -- Bharat Mandapam -- at Pragati Maidan.

In a media briefing, Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) SS Yadav said that as India Gate Kartavya Path have been "designated in the controlled zone", the Delhi Police appeals to people not to visit the area for "walking, cycling or picnicking" during the G20 Summit.

In view of the ensuing G20 Summit which has necessitated some restrictions in the national capital, Indigo on Wednesday announced it is offering a one-time waiver on charges attached with rescheduling or cancelling for passengers travelling to and from Delhi between September 8 to 11.

"Due to the G20 Summit 2023 taking place in New Delhi, IndiGo is offering one-time waivers for passengers travelling to and from Delhi between September 08 to 11, 2023,” IndiGo said in a press statement.

Delhi Metro services will start from 4 am from terminal stations on all lines of the network on September 8, 9 and 10 in view of the G20 Summit, officials said on Wednesday.

Besides, parking facilities at Supreme Court, Patel Chowk and RK Ashram Marg metro stations will be closed from 4 am on September 8 till noon of September 11, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said.

The key focus areas for President Joe Biden at the G20 Summit include delivering for developing nations, making progress on key issues like climate, technology and reshaping the multilateral development banks, the White House has said, expressing hope that the bloc will be able to make headway on those topics under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

On Thursday, President Biden will travel to New Delhi to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit. On Friday, President Biden will participate in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi and on Saturday and Sunday, the President will participate in the official sessions of the G20 Summit.

As Biden heads to the G20, he is committed to working with emerging market partners to deliver big things together, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

"That’s what we believe the world will see in New Delhi this weekend," he said.

America's commitment to the G20 has not wavered, and it hopes the G20 Summit in New Delhi will show that the world’s major economies can work together even in challenging times, Sullivan said.

"So, as we head into New Delhi, our focus is going to be on delivering for developing countries; making progress on key priorities for the American people, from climate to technology; and showing our commitment to the G20 as a forum that can actually, as I said before, deliver," he said.

"And thanks to the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and India’s presidency, we hope we’ll be able to do all of those things," Sullivan said.

On what the US is bringing to the table at the summit, Sullivan said one of America's main focuses heading into the G20 is delivering on an agenda of fundamentally reshaping and scaling up the multilateral development banks, especially the World Bank and the IMF.

"We know that these institutions are some of the most effective tools that we have for mobilising transparent, high-quality investment into developing countries. And that’s why the United States has championed the major effort that is currently underway to evolve these institutions so that they are up to the challenges of today and tomorrow," he said.