UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to arrive in New Delhi on Friday at around 1.40 pm (IST) to participate in the G20 World Leaders' Summit hosted by India over the coming weekend, marking the conclusion of its Presidency. The summit will be attended by several other high-profile leaders from around the world, including US President Joe Biden and 28 other heads of state, as well as the heads of international organisations. Arrangements are in place to welcome the international guests, with some having already arrived in the national capital.
Meanwhile, Gautam Dev Sood, an Indian relative of Rishi Sunak expressed their desire to gather in the city to meet him, ‘if possible’. A Telegraph report mentioned that Sood is Sunak's maternal uncle.
Sood was quoted by news agency ANI as saying, “We are very happy that he is coming to India. There is a great sense of excitement, and we are trying to assemble in Delhi if it is possible to meet him.”
When asked about Sunak's plans to visit Ludhiana in Punjab during his stay in India for the summit, Sood mentioned that he is not aware of such plans. “If authorities permit us, we would like to greet him,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}When asked about Sunak's plans to visit Ludhiana in Punjab during his stay in India for the summit, Sood mentioned that he is not aware of such plans. “If authorities permit us, we would like to greet him,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier on Wednesday, the Telegraph report claimed that Sunak's relatives have been preparing for a grand welcome in New Delhi, including hosting a feast with flower bouquets and “non-stop dancing” to Punjabi music.
Rishi Sunak is unlikely to attend the event because of his intense work schedule between Friday and Sunday for the G20 summit and bilateral talks on its sidelines. He will be accompanied on his first visit to India as prime minister by his wife, Akshata Murty, who is the daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and author Sudha Murty.
As the Union government has assigned ministers of state to receive each head of state, Rishi Sunak will be received by Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Ashwini Kumar Choubey. Sunak and the UK delegation will be staying at the Shangri-La Hotel in Delhi's Connaught Place, which is also hosting Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and his delegation.
What does Sunak feel about India hosting G20?
UK's Indian-origin Prime Minister Sunak said on Wednesday that India's diversity and its extraordinary successes make it the “right country” to hold the G20 presidency at the “right time”. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership over the past year.
“India’s presidency of the bloc has come at a time when the world is facing innumerable challenges,” UK PM told news agency PTI.
Sunak also emphasised that the relationship between the UK and India will shape the future of both countries even more significantly than it is defining the present.
He said, “Given this country's scale, diversity, and its extraordinary successes, India is the right country at the right time to hold the G20 Presidency. I commend Prime Minister Modi's leadership over the past year, and it's wonderful to see India demonstrating such global leadership.”