As India is ready to host the much-anticipated G20 Summi, several leaders have arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, with Managing Director and Chairman of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union Ursula von der Leyen being the latest to land the national capital.
Kristalina Georgieva, the top IMF official, arrived in Delhi and was welcomed by a group of cultural dancers. A cultural team performed a traditional folk dance to welcome the IMF chief. She appreciated their dance and also tried some steps by herself. Recently, IMF has projected India to grow at 6.1 per cent this fiscal (April 2023-March 2024) despite global issues like climate change and the Russia-Ukraine war.
A special dance was performed at the airport for EU President
Leyen, who also landed in the national capital on Thursday evening, was received at the airport by the Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Anupriya Singh Patel. A special dance was performed at the airport upon her arrival. Notably, the EU is India’s 2nd-largest trading partner (after the US) and India’s 2nd-largest export market. India is the EU's 10th largest trading partner, accounting for 2 per cent of EU total trade in goods. Trade in services between the EU and India reached 40 billion euros in 2021.
Mauritius Prime also arrived India today
Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth received a rousing welcome as he arrived at the New Delhi Airport today. He was received at the Airport by Shripad Naik Union Minister of State for Ports, and Shipping. As he came out of the Delhi airport he was accorded with a traditional folk dance performance.
Notably, India has close, longstanding relations with Mauritius, owing to historical, demographic and cultural reasons. A key reason for the special ties is the fact that Indian-origin people comprise nearly 70% of the island’s population.
Nigerian President arrived in Delhi three days before the Summit
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu was the first head of state to arrive in the national capital for the summit scheduled to be held on September 9, 10.
The visit comes as Mr Tinubu's first visit to India since the assumption of office in May 2023. According to an official statement released by the Special Adviser to the President Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Tinbu will participate in and deliver keynote addresses at both the Nigeria-India Presidential Roundtable and the Nigeria-India Business Conference on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.
India ready to host world leaders
India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1 last year and about 200 meetings related to G20 were organized in 60 cities across the country.
The 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi will be a culmination of all the G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year among ministers, senior officials, and civil societies. A G20 Leaders’ declaration will be adopted at the conclusion of the G20 Summit, stating Leaders’ commitment towards the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group meetings. The next G20 presidency is going to be taken over by Brazil in 2024, followed by South Africa in 2025.
(With inputs from ANI)
