Leaders of the world’s richest and most powerful countries will attend the two-day G20 Summit in India’s capital New Delhi starting September 9.

This is the first time India will host such a powerful group of world leaders. The capital has been adorned with ornamental flowers and fountains at traffic roundabouts while public buildings and sidewalks have been given a fresh coat of paint.

What is G20?

The world’s 20 major countries formed an economic grouping after the Asian financial crisis in 1999 with the understanding that such crises could no longer be contained within a nation’s borders and required better international economic cooperation.

The bloc currently accounts for 80% of global gross domestic production (GDP) and 75% of international trade.

Its members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.

Although only treasury chiefs met in the initial years, heads of all member nations decided to meet once a year for a leaders’ summit post the 2008 financial crisis.

What are the key issues this year ?

Under India’s year-long presidency, the bloc has centred discussions around more loans to developing nations from multilateral institutions, reforming international debt architecture, regulations on cryptocurrency and the impact of geopolitical uncertainties on food and energy security.

So far this year, the bloc has failed to issue any joint statements as it is deeply divided over language referring to the war in Ukraine.

While Russia and China are against blaming Moscow for the war in Ukraine, Western countries including the United States, France and Canada have sought a strong condemnation as a necessary condition for a joint statement.

Summit Theme

India’s G20 theme is derived from the Sanskrit phrase “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” which translates to “The World is One Family”.

18th G20 Summit in New Delhi

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. 

G20 Leader’s Declaration

 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 Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries — Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom and the United States and the European Union. The G20 members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

 Leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) major economies will start a summit in India’s capital on Saturday to try to find solutions to some of the world’s pressing problems amid a deep geopolitical divide over the war in Ukraine that threatens any progress.

U.S.President Joe Biden

Biden has confirmed his attendance. Biden intends to discuss the social impact of the war in Ukraine, clean energy transition, fight against climate change, and increasing the capacity of multilateral banks to fight poverty.

Chinese President Xi Jinping

Premier Li Qiang will lead China’s delegation, effectively indicating President Xi Jinping will not attend, scuppering chances of a meeting with Biden.

This will be the first time that a Chinese president has missed a G20 leaders’ summit since the first edition was held in 2008, though in 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi attended virtually.

Russian President Vladmir Putin

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is representing Russia instead of President Vladimir Putin, weeks after Putin also decided not to join the BRICS summit in South Africa in-person.

Putin’s absence in Africa was said to be due to an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for him over alleged war crimes in Ukraine. The Kremlin, which strongly denies the ICC allegations, has not said why Putin will not attend the G20 gathering in India.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Trudeau confirmed he will attend in a call with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in which he also said he was disappointed that the Ukrainian president was not invited.

Last year, under Indonesia’s presidency, Zelenskiy was invited to attend the summit as an observer and he made a speech to the leaders arguing that now was the time to stop Russia’s war in his country. India has not extended such an invitation.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

Sunak is expected attend the summit on his first official trip to India as Britain’s prime minister.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida

Kishida is to attend and as a current chair of the G7 is likely to lead criticism against Russia for the Ukraine war.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

The Australian government has highlighted the importance of G20, referring to the bloc as the world’s “pre-eminent forum for global economic cooperation”. Albanese’s trip to India will be a part of a three-nation tour that will include Indonesia and the Philippines.

South Korean President Yoon Sukyeol

Yoon will attend. He is expected to urge the international community to resolutely respond to North Korea’s “ever-escalating missile provocations and nuclear threats and to work closely together on its denuclearisation”, he told the Associated Press.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

Scholz has said the upcoming G20 summit in India remains important despite the absence of Russia and China.

French President Emmanuel Macron

He is likely to attend the event and hold bilateral talks with Modi, according to Indian media reports.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman

The crown prince, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, is expected to attend, according to Indian media reports. However, there has been no official confirmation.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa

Ramaphosa has expressed full support for India’s G20 presidency while conveying his intent to attend the summit. This year, India sought permanent membership for the African Union in G20.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan

He is scheduled to visit India and focus his discussions on climate change, according to media reports.

Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez

Fernandez will attend.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu

Tinubu plans to attend to try to promote foreign investment in Africa’s largest economy and mobilise global capital to develop infrastructure.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silvia

Brazil is set to take over the bloc’s presidency from India in December but has not officially confirmed his attendance.

EUROPEAN UNION: PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION URSULA VON DER LEYEN AND PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL, CHARLES MICHEL

The European Union has not officially confirmed the presence of its leaders.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to attend the G20 summit in New Delhi, according to Indian media reports. Bangladesh is one of the countries invited by India to participate as an observer.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador

Obrador is unlikely to attend the event, as per Indian media reports.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

Italy has not officially confirmed Meloni’s presence.

Indonesian President Joko Widido

Indonesia has not officially confirmed Widodo’s presence

When and Where is the next meeting

India will hand over the presidency to Brazil on December 1.