G20 Summit highlights: President Murmu hosts lavish dinner for leaders, delegates

The Indian side on Saturday circulated among G20 member states a new text to refer to the Ukraine crisis in the draft leaders’ declaration in an effort to break the impasse on the issue, people familiar with the matter said. Dig deeper

Delegates from the world's most powerful countries have reached a compromise on language to describe the war in Ukraine, a source with knowledge of the discussions said, as their leaders began the annual G20 summit on Saturday in New Delhi, reported Reuters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of host India inaugurated the meeting by calling on members to end a "global trust deficit" and announced that the bloc was granting permanent membership to the African Union in an effort to make it more representative.

"Today, as the president of G20, India calls upon the entire world to first convert this global trust deficit into one trust and one confidence," he said. "It is time for all of us to move together."

The group is deeply divided over the war in Ukraine, with Western nations pushing for strong condemnation of Russia while others are demanding a focus on broader economic issues.

"15 years ago, #G20 leaders came together for the first time to restore global growth after the financial crisis. We meet at a time of enormous challenges – the world is looking to the G20 once again to provide leadership. Together I believe we can address these challenges," says UK PM Rishi Sunak.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's placard at the opening of the G20 summit on Saturday referred to India as "Bharat", raising speculation of a change of name for the South Asian nation.

India is also called Bharat, Bharata, Hindustan - its pre-colonial names - in Indian languages and these are used interchangeably by the public and officially.

While the country has traditionally stuck to using India in titles such as president or prime minister while communicating in English, President Droupadi Murmu earlier this week referred to herself as the "President of Bharat" in a dinner invitation for a reception of G20 leaders, sparking controversy.

State heads and foreign dignitaries at the G-20 summit in New Delhi, which begins on September 9, would get a unique memento from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This memento would be a hand-made artefact of brass in the shape of a lotus, named ‘Kamalam’, from Mahoba in Bundelkhand. Dig Deeper

In a significant milestone under India's G20 presidency, the African Union on Saturday became a new permanent member of the grouping of the largest economies of the world. It is the first expansion of the influential bloc since its inception in 1999.

All member countries of the G20 accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposal to bring the key bloc of the Global South to the high table of the world's top economies.

"Honoured to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 Family. This will strengthen the G20 and also strengthen the voice of the Global South," Modi posted on X along with a video of his announcing that the African Union has become a permanent member of the G20.

In his inaugural remarks at the Summit, Modi asked the President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Azali Assoumani, to join other leaders at the high table, making the 55-member bloc the second multi-nation grouping after the European Union to be a permanent member of the G20.

A replica of the Konark Wheel from Odisha's Sun Temple served as the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's welcome handshake with G20 leaders as they arrived at the summit venue, Bharat Mandapam, here on Saturday.

The backdrop carried a striking image of the Konark Wheel with the G20 logo on one side and the theme of India's presidency of the grouping -- 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' - One Earth. One Family. One Future' -- on the other.

Modi welcomed heads of state and other leaders amid melodious strains of shehnai as flags of G20 member countries, invited nations and several international organisations fluttered in the pleasant morning breeze.

• Amid deep divisions over the Ukraine war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged world leaders to turn the global trust deficit into confidence in each other and find new solutions to age-old challenges.

• Prime minister Narendra Modi announced to include the African Union as the permanent member of the G20 gorup, elevating its role among the world's top economies.

• President Droupadi Murmu posted a welcome note for all the heads of delegation of the G20 nations and other participating countries in the G20 summit. President Murmu reiterated India’s theme of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - One Earth, One Family, One Future’ and said that the vision will give way for sustainable, inclusive and human-centric development.

• PM Modi extended a warm welcome to fellow leaders as they gathered at the G20 Summit venue, Bharat Mandapam.

• Among the attendees are US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman, and Japan's Fumio Kishida, among others.

President Droupadi Murmu posted a welcome note for all the heads of delegation of the G20 nations and other participating countries in the G20 summit.

President Murmu reiterated India’s theme of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - One Earth, One Family, One Future’ and said that the vision will give way for sustainable, inclusive and human-centric development.

Taking to X, President Murmu said, “A warm welcome to all Heads of Delegations of the G20 nations, Guest countries, and International Organisations participating in the 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi. India's G20 Presidency theme, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - One Earth, One Family, One Future’, is a global roadmap for sustainable, inclusive, and human-centric development. I wish the participants of G20 Summit every success in their efforts towards realising this vision.”

Major G20 partners will unveil ambitious plans Saturday to bolster trade between India, the Middle East and Europe, a modern-day Spice Route to bind regions that account for about a third of the global economy.

Washington, Saudi Arabia, the EU, the United Arab Emirates and others will sign an agreement on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi, presenting an alternative to China's wide-ranging strategic infrastructure investments.

Officials told AFP the plan would include a slew of data, rail, electricity and hydrogen pipeline projects.

One proposed project would link railway and port facilities across the Middle East -- including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel -- potentially speeding trade between India and Europe by up to 40 percent.

Amid deep divisions over the Ukraine war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged world leaders to turn the global trust deficit into confidence in each other and find new solutions to age-old challenges.

In his opening remarks at the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Modi exuded confidence and said if the world could defeat Covid, it could also triumph over the trust deficit caused by the war.

"It is time for all of us to walk together for global good," Modi said while addressing the 'One Earth' session of the G20 Leaders Summit attended by US President Joe Biden, Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva among others.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived here on a three-day state visit during which he will hold a bilateral meeting and co-chair the first leaders' meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During this visit, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia will also attend the G20 Summit being hosted in Delhi on Saturday and Sunday. He will continue his stay in India on Monday for the state visit, a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

On his arrival, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was received by Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the airport.

The Saudi Crown Prince had earlier come to India on a state visit in February 2019 and this will be his second state visit. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers and senior officials.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden and other top leaders of the world's wealthiest economies began deliberations on pressing global challenges at the G20 Summit here on Saturday under the shadow of the Ukraine war that has significantly fragmented the global geopolitical order.

Hosting the big-ticket summit for the first time, India is looking at producing tangible results in areas of financing for climate transition, digital public infrastructure, accelerated implementation of sustainable development goals, framework for cryptocurrency and reform of the international financial institutions.

Majority of priorities of the Indian G20 presidency were aimed at benefiting the Global South or the developing countries. Indian negotiators involved in drafting the leaders' declaration are confident that most of New Delhi's proposals would be endorsed by the top leadership of the grouping.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the G20 Summit emphasised the importance of the 21st century in finding new solutions to old challenges and called for a human-centric approach to address global challenges.

In his opening remarks at the G20 Summit, being held at the Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, PM Modi pointed out that to address global challenges and overcome trust deficits caused by conflicts there is a need to adopt a human-centric approach.

"The 21st century is an important time to show the world a new direction. This is the time when old problems are seeking new solutions from us and that is why we should move ahead fulfilling our responsibilities with a human-centric approach," he said.

Chief ministers MK Stalin, Nitish Kumar, Hemant Soren leave for Delhi to attend G20 dinner being hosted by President Murmu.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told world leaders Saturday the planet was facing an "unprecedented climate emergency" while addressing the G20 Summit, reported AFP. 

"The lack of commitment to the environment has led us to an unprecedented climate emergency," said Lula at the two-day meeting in New Delhi. "Droughts, floods, storms and fires are becoming more frequent."

The Group of 20 nations agreed to grant the African Union permanent membership status in a move aimed at giving the continent a stronger voice on global issues such as climate change and emerging-market debt.

Summit host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement in New Delhi on Saturday at the start of the two-day meeting of G20 leaders, embracing Comoros President Azali Assoumani, holder of the AU presidency, and offering him a seat at the table.

The group of the world's 20 leading economies is welcoming the African Union as a permanent member, a powerful acknowledgement of Africa as its more than 50 countries seek a more important role on the global stage.

US President Joe Biden called last year for the AU's permanent membership in the G20, saying it's been “a long time in coming.” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the bloc was invited to join during the G20 summit his country is hosting this week.

The African Union has advocated for full membership for seven years, spokesperson Ebba Kalondo said. Until now, South Africa was the bloc's only G20 member.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called on converting the global trust deficit post-Covid pandemic into trust and confidence while underlining the significance of the current period of the 21st century and the need for showing a new direction to the whole world. Dig deeper

Permanent G20 membership signals the rise of a continent whose young population of 1.3 billion is set to double by 2050 and make up a quarter of the planet's people.

The AU's 55 member states, which include the disputed Western Sahara, have pressed for meaningful roles in the global bodies that long represented a now faded post-World War II order, including the United Nations Security Council. They also want reforms to a global financial system - including the World Bank and other entities - that forces African countries to pay more than others to borrow money, deepening their debt.

Africa is increasingly courting investment and political interest from a new generation of global powers beyond the U.S. and the continent's former European colonizers. China is Africa’s largest trading partner and one of its largest lenders. Russia is its leading arms provider. Gulf nations have become some of the continent’s biggest investors. Turkey’s largest overseas military base and embassy are in Somalia. Israel and Iran are increasing their outreach in search of partners.

African leaders have impatiently challenged the framing of the continent as a passive victim of war, extremism, hunger and disaster that's pressured to take one side or another among global powers. Some would prefer to be brokers, as shown by African peace efforts following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Granting the African Union membership in the G20 is a step that recognizes the continent as a global power in itself. (AP)

The African Union, a continental body of 55 member states, now has the same status as the European Union - the only regional bloc with a full membership. Its previous designation was "invited international organisation".

The G20 previously comprised 19 countries and the European Union, with the members representing around 85% of global GDP, more than 75% of global trade and about two-thirds of the world population.