G20 Summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Bali on Monday to attend the G20 Summit, will also participate in bilateral meetings with key world leaders on the sidelines of the annual conference of the world’s major economies.
The two-day summit begins Tuesday morning, and will be attended by US President Joe Biden, his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak among heads from 20 countries and the European Union who make up the group.
What PM Modi said
“During the Bali summit, I will have extensive discussions with other G20 leaders on key issues of global concern, such as reviving global growth, food and energy security, environment, health and digital transformation,” PM Modi said ahead of his departure from Delhi.
He added that he will meet with leaders of several other participating countries on the sidelines of the G20 summit and review the progress in India’s bilateral relations with them.
PM Modi will have separate bilateral meetings with a number of leaders on the sidelines of the summit but it was not immediately clear if a separate meeting between Modi and Xi, who arrived in Bali earlier in the day, is in the works.
If it takes place, it would be the first one-on-one interaction between Modi and Xi since the border clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020. At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand in September, the two did cross paths.
At a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said PM Modi will have separate bilateral meetings with a number of leaders on the sidelines of the summit but did not give a direct reply to questions on whether there will be a meeting with Xi.
In Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said that maintaining sound relations is in the fundamental interest of both China and India and their people.
“We hope the Indian side will work with China in the same direction, follow through on the important common understandings reached between the Chinese and Indian leaders, promote sound and steady development of the relations, and safeguard the common interests of the two countries and our fellow developing countries,” spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
“As to the question you raised about a meeting between the Chinese and Indian leaders, I have nothing to share,” she added.
India will assume the presidency of the group for a year, beginning December 1, and Modi said he will extend his personal invitation to G20 members and other invitees for the next summit.
PM Modi will participate in the summit’s session on Health on Tuesday, and another on Food and Energy Security, where there is a likelihood of the leaders discussing the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Western leaders are expected to press Russia to renew a deal that allows export of Ukrainian wheat through the Black Sea. Russian President Vladimir Putin is not attending the summit, and the country is represented by foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.
On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister will meet members of the Indian community in Indonesia, and later watch a cultural performance.
The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the USA and the European Union (EU).
The list includes both advanced and emerging economies. Together, they account for over 80 per cent of the global Gross Domestic Product, 75 per cent of international trade and two-thirds of the world population.
During Delhi’s presidency in the coming year, it would be the first time when the troika of G20’s current, previous and next president would consist of three developing countries – India, Indonesia and Brazil.
PM Modi’s itinerary during G20 Summit
Tuesday, 15 Nov 2022
- 9:20 am – Arrival at The Apurva Kempisnky | Welcome by President of Indonesia
- 9:30 am – Working Session 1 – Food and Energy Security
- 12:30 pm – Leaders’ Lunch
- 2 pm- Working Session 2 – Health
- 5 pm – PM Modi’s address to Indian Diaspora
- 7 pm – Welcome Dinner and Cultural Event | Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park
PM Modi to have 20 engagements in 45 hours: Sources
Official sources said Modi will have around 20 engagements during his nearly 45 hours of stay in Bali and he will hold bilateral meetings with around 10 world leaders. On India’s incoming presidency, the foreign secretary said its position has been of “steadfast and strong support” to Indonesia, which as the Presidency has shown strong leadership in ensuring that the G20 platform discusses issues of substantive interest to the world.
“The Prime Minister would receive the G20 Presidency from the President of Indonesia at the closing session of the Bali Summit, and as you all know, India will host the next G20 Summit in September 2023,” he said. Kwatra said Modi will also utilize the opportunity of his presence at the Bali summit to invite the G20 leaders to India’s G20 summit.
The G20 summit programme also includes a leaders’ visit to what is called Bahasa Indonesia, Taman Hutan Raya, which is a mangrove forest in Bali.
Kwatra said, Modi, in his bilateral interactions with the G20 leaders, will brief them on India’s evolving G20 priorities as also to review key elements of bilateral engagement.
“India’s G20 Presidency hopes to provide new strength, direction and perspective to G20 discussions on diverse subjects which include green development, lifestyle for environment, digital transformation, inclusive and resilient growth, women-led development and more importantly, a greater voice for the global South in issues of international economic cooperation as also on the need for reformed 21st-century institutions,” he said.
During India’s G20 Presidency, Indonesia and Brazil would be the Troika.
“This would be the first time in G20 that the Troika would consist of three developing countries and emerging economies in a row,” he said.
PM Modi to address Indian diaspora in Bali
In Bali, PM Modi will also address and interact with the Indian community and friends of India at a community reception on November 15.
PM Modi will depart Bali on November 16 at the conclusion of the Bali Summit.
Kwatra said the delivery of governance using digital platforms and using digital instruments is set to figure in the deliberations at the G20 summit and highlight India’s competencies in the areas.
When asked about what would be Modi’s message at the summit, Kwatra did not give a direct reply but listed continuing uncertainty and challenges relating to climate, health and energy security, among others.
“The challenges relating to the food security, the pandemic has clearly shown us the problem of the global health security that all of us encounter,” he said, adding discussions would take place around them.
“And at this stage, I can’t tell you for sure what the prime minister’s interventions would be, but I’m assuming that it would be an intersection set of many of these elements and specific subsections of these elements,” he said.
Asked whether the G20 communique will mention the Ukraine conflict, Kwatra said it is adopted by consensus.
“It is not a document that is voted upon. So whatever communique is there, it would be a consensus document,” he said, adding “I think it remains to be seen because it is still under discussions and negotiations in Bali”.
(With inputs from PTI)
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