Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off the G20 Summit in New Delhi on Saturday with a word of condolence and solidarity for the lives lost in the earthquake in Morocco and with a pledge to “transform global trust deficit into more trustworthy relations”.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed a host of world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, at the Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the G20 Summit on Saturday morning. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director and Chairman Kristalina Georgieva and World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala were among the first to arrive at the newly built venue in Pragati Maidan.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were among those received warmly by Modi.
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was received with a hug as were Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who will assume the next G20 presidency, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Argentinian president. Lula was accompanied by his wife and Brazilian First Lady Rosngela da Silva.
Here’s a look at the highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s G20 summit welcome speech at the Bharat Mandapam:
- We pray for all those injured in the earthquake in Morocco. We are with them and all possible help will be provided. In these difficult times, the whole world stands with Morocco.
- We welcome all participants of the G20 Summit. We are witnessing a new world order in this 21st century. Human-centric approach is the need of the hour.
- If we can defeat Covid-19, then we can fight any trust issues. We pledge to transform global trust deficit into more trustworthy relations. We must reduce global trust deficit.
- Bharat‘s G20 presidency is a symbol of inclusion, not only in India but across the globe. We must work together to make a better future.
- This is the time for all of us to move together. In these times, the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’ can be the torchbearer for us. Be it the divide between North and South, the distance between East and West, management of food and fuel, terrorism, cyber security, health, energy or water security, we will have to find a solid solution for future generations.
- India has offered to make African Union a permanent G20 member. I am confident all members would agree to this proposal… With support from all of you, I invite the African Union to join the G20.
On Saturday, the world leaders walked the red carpet lined with national flags with the wall depicting different yoga postures. Modi welcomed the world leaders with a warm handshake against the backdrop of the replica of the Konark Wheel, a 13th-century artefact symbolising time, progress and continuous change, in Sun Temple in Odisha. Modi was seen explaining to Biden the grandeur of the Konark wheel. Sunak greeted Modi with a namaste.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, European Commission President Urusula von der Leyen, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also arrived at the Bharat Mandapam, the grand international exhibition and convention centre.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Egypt President Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi and Oman Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Asaad bin Tarik Al Said and Spain’s First Vice President Nadia Calvino were also welcomed by Modi.
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