G20 kicks off this weekend. India all set to say namaste to grand world gathering

Walls painted with bright murals and graffiti, G20 billboards in brightly-lit streets, and special arrangement in place in hotels and restaurants-- New Delhi is all set to take global stage as the city hosts world leaders from September 8 to September 10. The top leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies will be in the national capital to hold talks on some of the key global, economic, and geopolitical issues.

Here’s a brief overview of the G20 Summit that will take place in the city over the weekend:

WORLD LEADERS WHO WILL BE PART OF G20 SUMMIT

The G20, or the Group of Twenty, comprises 19 countries-- Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, the United States-- and the European Union.

The G20 Summit being held in New Delhi under India’s Presidency will draw the participation of the top leaders. Over the next three days, the national capital will play host to US President Joe Biden, Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, among others.

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Saudi Arabia Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud have confirmed their attendance for the two-day summit.

The two-day event will also see the participation of Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, African Union President Azali Assoumani, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

TOP LEADERS WHO WILL SKIP DELHI G20 SUMMIT

The summit in Delhi will be marked by the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has an outstanding arrest warrant against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for “war crimes” in Ukraine. This means that the Russian President risks arrest if he were to travel abroad.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also decided to give the summit a miss, though no explanation has been offered for his absence.

Spanish President Pedro Sanchez on Thursday said that he would skip the G20 Summit in New Delhi after he tested Covid positive.

ABOUT THE VENUE OF MEGA SUMMIT

The two-day summit on September 9-10 will be held at the newly-built international convention and exhibition centre -- Bharat Mandapam -- at Pragati Maidan.

The Bharat Mandapam is designed to display the country's rich heritage and cultural diversity to the world. Located next to Lutyens' Delhi, the Bharat Mandapam also has a 'Window to Delhi' at the highest level which looks out to the Kartavya Path, the India Gate, and the canopies of the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

The Bharat Mandapam has carpets from Kashmir and Bhadohi (Uttar Pradesh), artworks from across the country themed around peacock, the national bird.

PREPS IN PLACE TO WELCOME DIGNITARIES

Top Delhi hotels are all ready to welcome world leaders and foreign delegates. Rooms and suites have been booked for dignitaries at ITC Maurya, Taj Mansingh, Taj Palace, Hotel Oberoi, Hotel Lalit, The Lodhi, Le Meridian, Hyatt Regency, Shangri-La, Leela Palace, Hotel Ashoka, Eros Hotel, The Surya, Radisson Blue Plaza, JW Marriott, Sheraton, The Leela Ambience Convention, Hotel Pullman, Rosette Hotel and The Imperial.

For fine dining experience of world leaders, the hotels have commissioned special bespoke silverware bearing intricately engraved motifs inspired from the cultural heritage of India. About 200 artisans crafted 15,000 silverware for the occasion, a Jaipur-based metalware firm said.

At the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the dignitaries will be treated to an elaborate food spread representing India's rich culinary traditions. Mughlai cuisine of north India, the south Indian cooking traditions, and chaat dishes from across the country will be served to the delegates over three days beginning Friday. A variety of street food and innovative recipes featuring millets will also be on the menu.

BILATERAL TALKS LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden will hold bilateral talks on Friday, September 8, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. The US President will land in the national capital on Friday for the two-day summit.

Apart from this, PM Modi is likely to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday after the conclusion of the G20 summit.

DELHI RECEIVES MAKEOVER

New Delhi has been given a makeover as the city prepares to welcome heads of state and other international guests with much fanfare. Large banners bearing images of the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, Lotus Temple and other iconic heritage sites in Delhi have been put up across the city.

New murals have been painted on public walls depicting the cultural heritage of India, as well as the recent successful soft-landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon.

The city’s civic body has also put up banners bearing the G20 logo, and the theme 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', 'One Earth. One Family. One Future'.

SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE FOR MEGA EVENT

A tight security arrangement will be in place in the New Delhi area, which houses the G20 Summit venue and hotels where delegates will be staying.

The movement of vehicles will be regulated in the New Delhi district from 5 am on Friday till 11.59 pm on Sunday due the G20 summit. All online delivery services, except medicines, will be barred in the New Delhi district during the G20 Summit.

Security has been stepped up in the city, with 50,000 personnel, K9 dog squads and mounted police assisting the Delhi Police in keeping vigil during the Summit. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has deployed counter-drone systems in the diplomatic enclave to prevent potential drone attacks.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM G20 SUMMIT?

A discussion on climate change, sustainable development, and the economic crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war would likely be on agenda during the two-day Summit in New Delhi.

Ahead of the mega event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi penned a blog setting the tone for the summit and looking back on how India has contributed to global cooperation and shared prosperity with its presidency of the 20-nation bloc.

In the blog, PM Modi wrote about the importance of human-centered progress and the need to bring the marginalised aspirations of developing countries, particularly those of the Global South and the African continent, into the mainstream.