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The two-day G20 Summit 2023 will start on September 9 at the Bharat Mandapam in Delhi’s Pragati Maidan. Heads of state and government, and other delegates from the various member countries, as well as G20 invitees, will come to Delhi for the Summit. Among those expected to arrive are US President Joe Biden, UK PM Rishi Sunak, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, and Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
As part of its preparations for the Summit, the Delhi government has ordered all government offices and educational bodies situated in the city to remain closed. Security has been ramped up in the city and major traffic restrictions are in place.
Here’s all you need to know about the G20 Summit:
The 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will be held on September 9-10, 2023 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi's Pragati Maidan. On the second day, a G20 Leaders’ Declaration will be adopted, which will reflect the priorities and commitments discussed in the various ministerial and working group meetings throughout the year.
Spread over 53,399 sqm, the Bharat Mandapam is India’s largest conference and exhibition venue. It has the capacity to seat 7,000 people in its multi-purpose and plenary halls combined — larger than the iconic Sydney Opera House which can hold around 5,900 in its various halls. The central idea that has instructed its design is 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', which is also the theme for India's ongoing G20 presidency. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 26.
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, and United States) and the European Union. It was formed in 1999 in the backdrop of the financial crisis of the late 1990s that hit East Asia and Southeast Asia in particular, and aims to secure global financial stability by involving middle-income countries.
G20 members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population. As a forum for international economic cooperation, it plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues.
The G20 Presidency rotates annually among the members – the Presidency is responsible for bringing together the G20 agenda, organising its workings and hosting summits. India holds the Presidency from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023. After India, Brazil will take over the G20 presidency in 2024, followed by South Africa in 2025.
Heads of state and government, and other delegates from the various member countries, as well as G20 invitees, will come to Delhi for the Summit. Among those expected to arrive are US President Joe Biden, UK PM Rishi Sunak, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, and Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Most delegates will be staying in hotels situated in the Lutyens' Delhi area including The Taj Palace, Ashoka Hotel, The Leela Palace, ITC Maurya, Hotel Shangri-La, Hotel Lalit, Hotel Meridian, and Imperial Hotel, among others.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he will not be attending the G20 Summit in Delhi. He spoke to PM Modi on August 28 and conveyed his inability to attend the Summit. He added that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be representing him instead. While expressing an understanding for Russia’s decision, Modi thanked Putin for Russia’s consistent support to all the initiatives under India’s G20 presidency, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
The theme for India's G20 Presidency is 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'. The phrase originates from the ancient Sanskrit text Hitopadesha, and has been repeatedly used by the current government while discussing foreign policy.
India's relations with neighbour China will be once again be in the spotlight on September 9 and 10. At the recently concluded BRICS Summit in Africa, PM Modi and Chinese President Xi had "agreed" to “direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation” of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC); however, both countries later gave differing accounts of the meeting's outcome.
India's ties with the West have also been going through stress since the Russian-Ukraine war broke out in February 2022. New Delhi’s diplomatic tightrope walk has often been seen by its partners in Washington and Europe as opportunistic, with Delhi seen as following its interests and not being guided by “shared values”. Modi's visit to the US in June this year saw commitment from the two countries to “facilitate greater technology sharing, co-development, and co-production opportunities between U.S. and Indian industry, government, and academic institutions.”
India has consistently been positioning itself as the "voice of the Global South" (a reference to the developing and the less-developed countries) and putting its priorities on the global forum. At the Voice of Global South summit in January, Modi had said the “world is in a state of crisis” and told the leaders of developing countries “your voice is India’s voice” and “your priorities are India’s priorities”.
“India has always shared its developmental experience with our brothers of the Global South. As India begins its G20 Presidency this year, it is natural that our aim is to amplify the Voice of the Global South,” he added.
Security has been ramped up in the national capital, with as many as 60 Deputy Commissioners from across the city, including those from specialised units, drafted to oversee and manage specific tasks related to the Summit. This includes security, in and around the Summit venue, IGI Airport, designated hotels, sites designated for visits by spouses, and traffic routes of visiting delegations.
Additionally, 69 explosive detection dogs, part of police K9 squad, will be deployed along with two handlers each at crucial locations in the New Delhi district to sniff out any suspicious object. The squad includes 34 explosive detection dogs procured as puppies from a kennel in Hyderabad for the Summit.
The Delhi Police has also put in place a slew of restrictions, diversions apart from deploying around 10,000 personnel on the ground to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
In a press conference, Special Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Zone 2, SS Yadav, said that vehicles not destined for the city will be diverted towards the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways and other routes. He added that Heavy, Medium and Light Goods Vehicles will not be allowed to enter the city, while goods vehicles carrying essential commodities and having a valid ‘No Entry Permission’ will be allowed to enter. Yadav further said interstate buses will be allowed to enter the capital and all buses will have their terminating points on the Ring Road. A specialised Ambulance Assistance Control Room has been established for the Summit.
As part of its preparations for the Summit, the Delhi government has ordered all government offices and educational bodies situated in the city to remain closed. Similarly, private offices which function on Saturday and Sunday have been asked to remain shut. Apart from this, commercial and financial establishments (including shops and banks) situated within the jurisdiction of New Delhi Police District will remain closed during this period, including markets such as Connaught Place and Khan Market which see high footfall on weekends.
Ahead of the G20 Summit, Delhi's civic bodies, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), undertook various measures to spruce up the city. An NDMC official had earlier told The Indian Express that special focus was given to areas around the hotels where foreign delegates are expected to stay. The MCD, meanwhile, did beautification work at the Mahipalpur roundabout, Shaheedi Park and PVR Anupam market. The civic bodies also employed local artists to spruce up walls in bright colours, to give the city a creative and visual facelift.
Prominent flyovers such as Safdarjung, Bhikaji Cama Place, Nauroji Nagar and South Extension along with subways, foot over bridges and other inner roads connecting to the IGI airport have also undergone beautification work. Theme-based paintings and street art showcasing the culture, classical dance forms, yoga asanas and tourists spots of India are prominently displayed in these areas.
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