India pulls off big diplomatic win, PM for ending global trust deficit
NEW DELHI, Sept 9:
India on Saturday pulled off a big diplomatic win after the G20 summit adopted a consensus declaration overcoming major differences on the Russia-Ukraine war, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for ending “global trust deficit”.
Asserting that “today’s era must not be of war”, the New Delhi G20 Summit Leaders’ Declaration under India’s presidency called on all States to uphold the principles of international law, including territorial integrity and sovereignty and pitched for initiatives for “comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine”.
“The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible.”
The announcement about a consensus on the 37-page declaration and its subsequent adoption was made by Prime Minister Modi at the start of the second session on the opening day of the two-day summit of the grouping of major developed and developing countries. It came hours after India circulated a new text to the members countries to describe the Ukraine conflict.
“Friends, we have just got good news, with the hard work of our teams, and with the cooperation of you all, there is consensus on the New Delhi G20 Summit Leaders’ Declaration,” Modi said.
“I announce that this declaration is adopted,” he said, and banged the gavel thrice.
“History has been created with the adoption of the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration. United in consensus and spirit, we pledge to work collaboratively for a better, more prosperous, and harmonious future. My gratitude to all fellow G20 members for their support and cooperation,” Modi said later on X.
The G20 leaders called for a strong, sustainable, and inclusive growth as an answer to the uneven recovery the world has seen from the pandemic-infused plunder, and flagged the need for trillions of dollars for countries to meet their climate goals and clean energy technologies.
On other issues, the G20 grouping strongly deplored all acts of religious hatred against persons, religious symbols and holy books.
They emphasised the freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly.
In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Modi urged world leaders to turn the “global trust deficit” into trust and confidence and announced that the African Union has been granted permanent membership of the grouping.
All member countries of the G20 accepted Modi’s proposal to bring the 55-member African Union(AU) to the high table of the world’s top economies in a significant milestone under India’s G20 presidency.
“It is time for all of us to walk together for global good,” Modi said while addressing the ‘One Earth’ session of the 18th G20 summit and the first to be hosted by India.
The leaders attending the two-day summit included US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
However, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin skipped the summit.
“Following the Covid pandemic, the world faced a new challenge of trust deficit and unfortunately, the wars have further deepened this,” he said addressing the gathering at the swanky new exhibition-cum-convention centre Bharat Mandapam.
“But we must remember that if we can defeat a pandemic like Covid, we can also win over the challenge of this trust deficit. Today, as the president of the G20, India calls upon the entire world to turn this global trust deficit into trust and confidence,” said Modi, who was identified as the leader representing ‘Bharat’ at the summit.
“This is a time when age-old challenges are calling for new solutions from us. And therefore, with a human-centric approach, we have to move forward to fulfil our responsibilities.” (PTI)
Kashmiri kahwa, millets’ dishes at dinner
President Droupadi Murmu today hosted a grand dinner for G20 guests at Bharat Mandapam — the venue for the Summit — here, with the menu offering dishes made from millets and Kashmiri Kahwa.
President Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed G20 leaders and other guests, including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, before the start of the dinner from the reception dais, whose backdrop showcased the ruins of the Nalanda University in Bihar besides India’s G20 presidency theme — ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
Nalanda university ruins, a UNESCO world heritage site, was one of the oldest educational institutes of the world.
President Murmu and PM Modi received Biden and exchanged greetings briefly at the dais. They also interacted briefly with Sunak, who was accompanied by his wife Akshata Murty.
The delicacies served to the dignitaries included dishes made from “Shree Anna” (millets) — considered as super foods — and Kashmiri Kahwa, according to the dinner’s menu which reflected India’s diverse culinary tradition.
“A medley of traditions, customs and climate, Bharat is diverse in many ways. Taste connects us. We celebrate ‘Sharad Ritu’, the autumn season of abundance in this menu. It showcases the wealth of ingredients across Bharat, expressing our rich culinary heritage in a modern mosaic dedicated to the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’,” according to the menu paper of the dinner.
To give the taste of millets grown across India “to our esteemed guests, we have included a few dishes in the menu today”, which use different types of millets, namely: Foxtail millet (in Paatram), Little millet (in Vanavarnam) and Barnyard millet (in Madhurima),” reads another page of the menu, mentioning the dinner hosted by the “President of Bharat” on the occasion of G20 Summit.
Paatram ‘A breath of fresh air’ — Foxtail millet leaf crisps topped with a yoghurt sphere and spiced chutney — was part of the starter.
In main course, Vanavarnam ‘Strength from the soil’ — jackfruit galette served with glazed forest mushrooms, little millet crisp and curry leaf tossed Kerala red rice, was served, according to the menu.
Indian breads — “Mumbai Pao” (onion seed flavoured soft bun) and “Bakarkhani” (cardamom-flavoured sweet flat bread) were also on the special dinner’s menu.
“Madhurima” ‘Pot of gold’ (cardamom scented barnyard millet pudding, fig-peach compote and ambemohar rice crisps) was served as dessert.
Kashmiri Kahwa, filter coffee and Darjeeling tea were among the beverages served to the guests.
Nearly 300 guests, including heads of states and those invited by the Indian government, attended the dinner.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director and Chairman Kristalina Georgieva, dressed in Indian attire Salwar Kurta, World Bank President Ajay Banga along with his wife Ritu Banga, and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina were among the first to arrive at the newly built convention for the dinner.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife Yoko Kishida, who was wearing a saree, Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese along with his spouse and Mauritian PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and his wife, were among other dignitaries welcomed by Murmu and Modi.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his wife, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov were also received by the two leaders.
The Prime Minister was also seen explaining to some of the G20 leaders, including Biden, Sunak and his wife Akshata, Macron and Albanese, about the Nalanda university.
Bharat Mandapam — the newly built international convention and exhibition centre — and its verdant lawns dazzled at night with colourful illumination while its gurgling fountains and the ‘Nataraja’ statue placed on front of the state-of-the-art building created a pretty picture.
In a significant milestone under India’s G20 presidency, the 55-member African Union on Saturday became a new permanent member of the grouping of the largest economies of the world. It is the first expansion of the influential bloc since its inception in 1999.
All member countries of the G20 accepted Prime Minister Modi’s proposal to bring the key bloc of the Global South to the high table of the world’s top economies. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
