G20 Summit 2023 Delhi Highlights: PM Modi calls for virtual G20 session in November, hands over G20 presidency to Brazil

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and British PM Rishi Sunak have arrived at Delhi's Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi and lay a wreath. Sunak had also visited the Akshardham temple on early Sunday morning.

President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives at Delhi's Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi. PM Modi welcomed him with a handshake.

On UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's visit to Akshardham Temple, Director of Akshardham Temple, Jyotindra Dave told ANI,”…His experience was extraordinary…He performed the Pooja and Aarti with a lot of faith…We showed him the temple and also gave him a model of the temple as a gift…He enjoyed every minute here…he kept on extending time…His wife was also very happy…”

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Azali Assoumani, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández have also arrived at Delhi's Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi.

Spain’s Vice-President Nadia Calvino, Minister of Economy of United Mexican States, Raquel Buenrostro Sánchez have arrived at Delhi's Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi and lay a wreath.

Bangladesh PM Shaikh Hasina, and Netherlands' PM Rutte, have been recieved by PM Modi at Rajghat.

Deputy Prime Minister of Oman Asaad bin Tariq bin Taimur Al Said has also arrived at Delhi's Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi and lay a wreath.

President of Asian Development Bank Masatsugu Asakawa, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of IMF and other leaders and delegates have also arrived at Delhi's Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi and lay a wreath.

World leaders have started to reach at the Rajghat to pay their tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already welcomed UN Secy Gen at the Rajghat.

Traffic Alert: Controlled Zone 2 has been implemented and consequently buses will not operate on Ring Road between ISBT Kashmiri Gate and Sarai Kale Khan. Buses will operate on the remaining stretch of Ring Road and the road network beyond Ring Road towards the borders of Delhi,” Delhi Traffic Police has tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves from Delhi's Akshardham temple after offering prayers.

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) made a Sunday morning visit to New Delhi's Akshardham Temple for prayer. Stringent security measures had been put in place in and around the temple in anticipation of the UK Prime Minister's arrival. During a conversation with ANI on Saturday, the UK PM had expressed his intention to visit Delhi's Akshardham Temple on the following day. Rishi Sunak also conveyed his hope to make time for a temple visit during his stay in India for the G20 Summit. He expressed his profound respect for PM Modi and his commitment to contributing to the success of the G20. Sunak had emphasized on the significance of faith in providing strength and resilience during times of stress. An official from Akshardham Temple confirmed their readiness to warmly welcome United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Narayana Murty, on Sunday.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday held a meeting with Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, the President-designate of COP28, at Bharat Mandapam during G20India. This encounter occurred on the same day that Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Global Biofuels Alliance during the G20 Summit in the national capital. “Met my friend HE Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry & Advanced Technology of UAE; MD & Group CEO of @ADNOCGroup & President-Designate for #cop28 at #bharatmandapam during #g20india on the day PM @narendramodi Ji launched the #globalbiofuelsallianceatg20,” Hardeep Singh Puri posted on X.

India, as the current chair of the G20, has taken the lead in championing the cause of sustainable biofuels through the establishment of the Global Biofuel Alliance. During the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, joined by leaders from Singapore, Bangladesh, Italy, the USA, Brazil, Argentina, Mauritius, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), officially launched this initiative. The primary objective of the Global Biofuel Alliance is to accelerate the worldwide adoption of biofuels by promoting technological advancements and encouraging the sustainable use of biofuels, as outlined in an official release from the Ministry of External Affairs. Furthermore, the alliance aims to establish robust standards and certification processes through active participation from various stakeholders. Additionally, it will serve as a central hub for experts and a repository of knowledge. In summary, the Global Biofuel Alliance, as per the MEA's official release, is envisioned as a catalytic platform fostering global cooperation to propel the advancement and widespread acceptance of biofuels.

Today's itinerary involves world leaders' visit to Rajghat. Session 3, One Future will also be held in the afternoon. Number of Bilats include Comoros, Türkiye, UAE, South Korea, EU/EC, Brazil &Nigeria. PM to hold a working lunch with Fr Prez -Pull aside with Canada PM, as reported by FE.com.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has conveyed his best wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all participating nations for the adoption of the 'Delhi Declaration' on the inaugural day of the G20 Summit, taking place in the nation's capital. ” My warmest congratulations to PM@narendramodi and the member nations of the G20 on the adoption of the New Delhi G20 Leaders' Summit Declaration,” Shah said in a post on X.

British PM Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy have reached the Akshardham temple in New Delhi. There is heavy security deployment in and around the temple.

On Saturday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed optimism about the chances of finalizing a free trade agreement with the European Union this year, as opposed to waiting until 2024, following a July impasse in negotiations. Talks between Australia and the 450-million-strong EU faced difficulties earlier in the year, partly due to disagreements over increased market access for Australian agricultural products, such as beef. While in New Delhi, India, during the Group of 20 (G20) summit, Albanese discussed this matter with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and planned to raise it with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Here's the tentative schedule for the final day of the G20 Summit:

8:00-9:00 AM: Arrival and welcome of HoDs at Rajghat

9:10-9:25 AM: Wreath laying

10:30-12:30 AM: Session 3: One Future

Time for bilaterals.

– Day 1 of the G20 Summit marked the beginning of important developments and announcements.

– The African Union, composed of 55 nations, formally joined the G20, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposal.

– Prime Minister Modi proudly announced the adoption of the G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, a significant achievement during India's presidency.

– This comes amid rising tensions and differing viewpoints on the Ukraine conflict.

– India introduced the Global Biofuel Alliance, inviting G20 nations to participate and advocating for a 20 percent global ethanol blending target.

– Prime Minister Modi proposed the G20 Satellite Mission for Environment and Climate Observation, emphasizing the Green Credit Initiative for environmental challenges.

– Bilateral talks occurred, including discussions with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on trade and investment.

– Commitment to a prosperous and sustainable planet was reaffirmed during the meeting with the UK Prime Minister.

– Productive discussions were held with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, focusing on enhancing cooperation in connectivity and commerce.

– Day 1 of the G20 Summit set the stage for meaningful dialogues and collaborative efforts, underscoring the importance of collective action in addressing global challenges.

G20 countries on Saturday said they will aim to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 and expedite efforts to phase down unabated coal power in line with national circumstances but did not commit to a phase-out of all polluting fossil fuels, including oil and gas.

The language on coal aligns with what was agreed upon in the previous G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.

The bloc, responsible for 85 per cent of the world's GDP and 80 per cent of emissions, however, said it uphold their 2009 promise made in Pittsburgh to eliminate and rationalise inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.

According to a key technical report on the first-ever Global Stocktake published on Friday, scaling up renewable energy and phasing out unabated fossil fuels are indispensable elements of just energy transitions to net-zero emissions.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is all set to visit the Akshardham temple along with his wife Akshata Murthy on Sunday morning. The Delhi Police has said that elaborate security arrangements have been put in place ahead of their visit.

US President Joe Biden arrives at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi for the G-20 Dinner.

India, the USA, Brazil, and South Africa issued a joint statement on Saturday regarding the G20, underscoring their collective dedication to the G20 as the foremost platform for global economic collaboration.

“We, the Leaders of India, Brazil, South Africa, and the United States, met on the margins of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi to reaffirm our shared commitment to the G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation to deliver solutions for our shared world,” the statement shared by the White House said.

“As the G20’s current and next three Presidencies, we will build on the historic progress of India’s G20 Presidency to address global challenges. In this spirit, together with the World Bank President, we welcome the G20’s commitment to build better, bigger, and more effective multilateral development banks. This commitment underscores what we can do, by working together through the G20, to support our people toward a better future,” it said.

The photos of the menu from special G20 dinner has surfaced.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry expressed disappointment in the G20's joint declaration on Saturday, stating that it was “far from satisfactory.” They criticized the declaration for its omission of any mention of Russia.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko shared a screenshot of the relevant portion of the joint declaration, highlighting various sections of the text in red and making corrections to align with Ukraine's stance, emphasizing that Ukraine is a victim of unwarranted Russian aggression.

“It is clear that the participation of the Ukrainian side (in the G20 meeting) would have allowed the participants to better understand the situation,” he wrote on Facebook.

Despite his disappointment with the overall G20 text, Nikolenko thanked Ukraine's allies for doing their part to advance Ukraine's position in the declaration.

“Ukraine is grateful to the partners who tried to include strong formulations in the text.”