Tag: G20 SUMMIT

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Delhi Police Conducts G20 Summit Rehearsal

The Bomb Squad of the National Security Guard (NSG) on Saturday conducted an anti-sabotage sweep at different locations in the national capital ahead of the G20 Summit.

The Delhi Police conducted comprehensive dress rehearsals for the upcoming G20 Summit on Saturday.

They oversaw the procession of caravans from various parts of the national capital towards the New Delhi district.

The rehearsal session began at 8:30 a.m and continued till 12 p.m.
Further rehearsals were also scheduled for 4:30 p.m to 6 p.m, and 7 p.m to 11 p.m.

Commuters were strongly encouraged to utilize the metro services due to expected traffic disruptions.

Throughout the carcade rehearsals, traffic restrictions will be in place at several key locations, including Sardar Patel Marg-Panchsheel Marg, Sardar Patel Marg–Kautilya Marg, Gol Methi roundabout, Mansingh Road roundabout, C-Hexagon, Mathura Road, Zakir Hussain Marg-Subramaniam Bharti Marg, Bhairon Marg-Ring Road, Satya Marg/Shantipath roundabout,
Janpath–Kartavyapath, Barakhamba Road red light, Tolstoy Marg, and Vivekanand Marg, among others, according to officials.

The traffic police said that passengers going towards railway stations will be able to use their private vehicles, Auto-rickshaws, taxis for travelling to New Delhi railway station and Old Delhi railway station.

However, in case of road journeys they may face some congestion and consequent delays. Therefore, they are advised to keep sufficient time at hand. For easier and more convenient access to railway stations passengers are advised to make maximum use of Metro services,” they said.

The traffic advisory further advised that passengers going towards the airport are advised to make maximum use of Metro services, especially the Airport Express Line connecting New Delhi Station to Dwarka Sector 21 Station via IGI Airport T3.

“City Bus Services will not be affected at large. However, they may be diverted from certain road stretches in New Delhi District depending upon the real time traffic situation,” it said.

“Motorists are requested to have patience, observe traffic rules & road discipline and follow directions of Traffic Police personnel deployed at all intersections. People are also requested to plan their journey in advance with sufficient time at hand to avoid inconvenience,” it added.

BOMB SQUAD’S ANTI-SABOTAGE CHECKS

The Bomb Squad of the National Security Guard (NSG) on Saturday conducted an anti-sabotage sweep at different locations in the national capital ahead of the G20 Summit.

Earlier, on Saturday, Delhi Traffic Police conducted another full dress rehearsal as part of its preparations for the upcoming G20 Summit in the national capital on September 9 and 10.

The two-day summit will draw leaders and delegates from 40 countries, including the 20 member states.

The carcade rehearsals were carried out in the Pragati Maidan area of the national capital where the global event will be hosted next month, officials said.

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Special Commissioner Of Delhi Traffic Police, SS Yadav said, “We have shared the travel guidelines with all the media houses. Newspapers have also published our releases and necessary information is also being shared on our social media handles. The focus is to ensure that the impact on the movement of traffic is kept at a minimum.”

The G20 Summit is set to be hosted at the state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre at Pragati Maidan.

Earlier, on August 23, Delhi traffic police authorities carried out a full-dress rehearsal on selected routes.

Delhi Police, which started its preparations for the G20 Summit in earnest a few months ago, has been training personnel who are to be deployed at various locations ahead of and during the big-ticket summit.

The personnel are also being trained to deal with the fallout of possible hazards, including the use of chemical and biological weapons, and have been asked to focus on their soft skills. (ANI)

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Lavrov Takes Center Stage As Putin Skips G20 Summit

Template for Security Council could reflect G20: Lavrov

Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to hold several bilateral talks and contacts on the sidelines of the summit….reports Asian Lite News

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend the G20 Summit in India next week after President Vladimir Putin announced his plan to skip the leaders’ Summit.

Under India’s presidency, the G20 (Group of Twenty) Summit is scheduled to take place on September 9 and 10 and the theme– “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth · One Family · One Future” – is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad. 

According to the statement, released by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov is expected to attend two plenary sessions: on September 9, there will be the One Planet session on sustainable development and promoting steady economic growth, and on September 10, the Foreign Minister will speak at the One Future session highlighting key matters of promoting democracy and strengthening the role of the countries belonging to the global majority within global economic governance institutions, as well as achieving digital transformation.

Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to hold several bilateral talks and contacts on the sidelines of the summit.

“We would like to note the unifying nature of India’s G20 Presidency, the country’s commitment to promoting the interests of the developing countries and creating a constructive atmosphere at the forum. The summit is expected to make a decision on accepting the African Union as a permanent G20 member. We welcome this step. Russia was among the first to support this initiative and contributed to carrying it out,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in the briefing, as per the statement.

“The policy of confrontation adopted by the collective West has been creating artificial roadblocks that prevent the G20 from unleashing its creative potential. Efforts by the United States and its allies to spread anti-Russia and anti-China information, primarily in the context of Ukraine, have been a special source of tension,” she added.

The Spokesperson further stated that Russia refers to this phenomenon as the Ukrainisation of the international agenda, meaning a refusal to recognise the actual challenges related to the Ukraine crisis, its causes and ways to settle it, while seeking to place this topic on top of the agenda everywhere even when it has no place in the discussion.

The West’s attempts to devalue a consensus rule within the G20 and to extend questionable G7 agreements to this forum as binding commitments have given rise to alarming trends. The Anglo-Saxons are cooking up all kinds of dirty tricks, she said.

“At the Summit, Russia intends to promote its principled vision of ways of achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) and addressing key challenges in this regard, including the West’s efforts to destabilise the global economy through sanctions, terrorist attacks inspired by the West, conflicts and supply chain disruptions,” the statement read.

“We (Russia) will share our assessment of the risks related to precipitating the transition to a green economy, especially for the most vulnerable countries of the world. The West has succeeded in making environmental protection an extremely partisan and polarising issue. This is not just an irresponsible attitude but a harmful one as well, since this position is not backed by research,” it added.

Russia is committed to making the Delhi summit a success and ensuring that the Indian G20 Presidency is effective. Russia hoped that all other G20 members, especially those representing the West, adopt the same responsible attitude.

“We will work with a wide range of friendly partner countries within the G20 and rely on the BRICS countries to counter any detrimental processes in this regard,” Zakharova said. (ANI)

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New Delhi G20 Summit Set To Witness Largest-Ever Gathering

India has invited Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and UAE as guest countries for the mega event….reports Asian Lite News

India will host the G20 summit next month which will see the “biggest participation” in the history of the grouping with arrangements in place for the mega event including that for the stay of leaders of member countries and the invited guest countries.

Delhi Police to be in charge of security and there will be 24/ 7 medical facilities in hotels, officials said.

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, Turkey, US, UK and the European Union.

India has invited Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and UAE as guest countries for the mega event.

The White House had said earlier that US President Joe Biden will travel to India from September 7 to 10 to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office said he will visit India to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi from September 9,10.

The leaders will be given a rich glimpse into India’s vast and diverse culinary traditions as also its rich legacy in arts and crafts. 

There will be a symbolic tree plantation event at the Bharat Mandapam with tree saplings representing different countries.

Muktesh K Pardeshi, Special Secretary, G20 Operations told ANI in an exclusive interview that they have formed a large number of teams who will look after the entire range of operations, including the arrival of leaders at the airport, their bilateral meetings, hospitality and food.

“The planning is at the final stage. We are giving final shape to the programme and different arrangements including traffic management, the hospitality arrangement, who would be doing what. We have created a large number of teams, small but effective teams and these teams are looking after the entire range of operations, including from arrival at the airport to looking after delegations’ requirements, their bilateral meetings, what kind of hospitality, food, etc will be provided. So the G20 Secretariat is here to provide end-to-end organizational support to all visiting delegations,” he said.

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.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Mann ki Baat programme earlier this month that India is fully prepared for the G-20 Leaders Summit.

Heads of 40 countries and many global organizations will be coming to Delhi to participate in this event.

“This will be the biggest participation ever in the history of the G20 Summit. During its presidency, India has made G-20 a more inclusive forum. The African Union also joined the G-20 on India’s invitation and the voice of the people of Africa reached this important platform of the world,” he said.

The Prime Minister said about 200 meetings related to G20 have been organized in 60 cities across the country.

“Wherever the G20 Delegates went, people warmly welcomed them. These delegates were very impressed, seeing the diversity of our country and our vibrant democracy. They also realized that there are so many possibilities in India,” he said.

The 18th G20 Heads of State and Government 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 New Delhi Summit, stating Leaders’ commitment towards the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group meetings. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Canada Confirms Trudeau’s Attendance At G20 Summit

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Canada Confirms Trudeau’s Attendance At G20 Summit

At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Trudeau will work with international partners to tackle global crises to build a better tomorrow for people around the world….reports Asian Lite News

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit India to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi from September 9 to 10. Prior to his visit to New Delhi, Trudeau will travel to Indonesia to participate in the ASEAN Summit and thereafter head to Singapore for a bilateral visit.

“The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that he will travel to Jakarta, Indonesia to participate in the ASEAN Summit from September 5 to 6, 2023. This will be followed by a bilateral visit to Singapore from September 7 to 8, 2023. He will then participate in the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, from September 9 to 10, 2023,” Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Trudeau will work with international partners to tackle global crises to build a better tomorrow for people around the world. He will promote the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in his role as co-chair of the SDG Advocates group.

Canada Prime Minister’s Office in the statement said, “At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, under the theme “One Earth – One Family – One Future”, the Prime Minister will work with international partners to tackle today’s global crises to build a better tomorrow for people around the world.”

It further said, “He will promote the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in his role as co-chair of the SDG Advocates group, and advocate for increased collaboration in the areas of climate change, international financial institution reform, food and energy security, gender equality, and improved global health.”

According to the statement, Trudeau will continue to advocate for collective action to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for the military offensive in Ukraine.

Canada Prime Minister’s Office in the statement said, “Canada is, and will always be, a champion of the rules-based international order, and the global trade and economic progress that depend on those rules. Russia’s brutal war of aggression in Ukraine is an attack on the rules that all countries rely on to do business, trade, grow, and improve life for their citizens.”

It further said, “That’s why, at the G20, Prime Minister Trudeau will continue to advocate for collective action to hold Putin accountable for his illegal war and to secure a just and durable peace that starts with Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine. Working collaboratively to tackle global crises while holding Russia accountable is essential to maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of the G20.”

The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. India has assumed the G20 Presidency from December 1. The G20 comprises 19 countries – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, US, UK 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.

In the Indo-Pacific region, Trudeau will reaffirm Canada’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation and removing trade barriers to create good middle-class jobs and make life more affordable for people on both sides of the Pacific. According to the statement, he will work with his counterparts to strengthen ties between people and drive climate action.  ]

In the statement, Trudeau said, “We live in an increasingly interconnected world, and it is clear that the crises that exist today can only be addressed by pulling together. I look forward to meeting with global leaders to address the challenges and crises we are facing, seize opportunities for Canadians, and ensure a strong economy for now and for generations to come.”

During his visit to Indonesia, Trudeau will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo to keep working together to tackle climate change, improve food security and advance economic ties by underscoring Canada’s commitment to conclude a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Indonesia, Canada’s largest export market in Southeast Asia, according to the statement.

In Singapore, Trudeau will strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations, particularly by promoting Canadian exports and positioning Canada as a destination of choice for investment opportunities. During his visit, he will meet with his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong and a number of private sector leaders.

According to the statement, Justin Trudeau’s visit to the Indo-Pacific region will be an opportunity to make progress and deliver results on issues of importance to Canada and its international partners. (ANI)

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Youth 20 Summit concludes successfully in Varanasi

The four-day Youth 20 summit 2023 had started in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi on Thursday….reports Asian Lite News

The Y20 India engagement Group meeting under framework of India’s G20 Presidency concluded successfully in Varanasi.

The four-day Youth 20 summit 2023 had started in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi on Thursday.

Around 150 delegates from G20 countries, guest countries and international organizations converged to discuss the five identified themes of Y20 including Future of Work: Industry 4.0, Innovation and 21st Century Skills, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation: Ushering in an Era of No War, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a Way of Life, Shared Future: Youth in Democracy and Governance, Health, Wellbeing and Sports: Agenda for Youth.

During the four-day summit, delegates visited Sarnath, the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Ganga ghat during a river cruise. India’s rich art, culture and heritage left a long-lasting impression on the delegates from across the world. Rich and diverse cultural heritage of the holy city of Varanasi; its spirituality, literature, art, and music also mesmerized the delegates from G20 countries, guest countries and international organisations.

The Y20 Summit is the culmination of the Inception Meeting at Guwahati, 14 Youth-20 Consultations conducted at prominent educational institutions, Pre Summit at Leh, Ladakh, Brainstorming sessions, Y20 Chaupals and various Jan Bhagidari events conducted across the country in the run-up to the main Y20 Summit.

This Summit aimed to provide opportunities for collaboration and networking with other stakeholders, contribute to the development of young people, and discuss the Youth agenda on a global platform.

Youth20 is one of the official Engagement Groups of the G20. The Youth20 (Y20) Engagement Group has organised discussions and consultations pan-India, to consult the youth of the nation on ideas for a better tomorrow and draft an agenda for action. Y20 has proved to be a platform for youth to express their perspectives and ideas on G20 priorities. (ANI)

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Outcome Document unanimously adopted at G20 Health Ministers’ meet

The G20 countries further reaffirmed the importance of strengthening national health systems by putting people at the centre of preparedness and equipping them to respond effectively…reports Asian Lite News

The G20 Health Minister’s Meeting at Gujarat’s Gandhinagar on Saturday witnessed the unanimous adoption of The Outcome Document, agreed to by all G20 delegations.

According to a government release, the Outcome Document reaffirmed the commitment of G20 countries to continue strengthening the Global Health Architecture.

Building on the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, G20 countries arrived at a consensus to build more resilient, equitable, sustainable and inclusive health systems equipped to address ongoing global health challenges and future public health emergencies with equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured and affordable vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other medical countermeasures, especially in Low and Middle-income Countries (LMICs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The G20 countries further reaffirmed the importance of strengthening national health systems by putting people at the centre of preparedness and equipping them to respond effectively.

They also recognized the importance of mainstreaming a gender perspective when designing health systems, considering the specific needs of women and girls, with a view to achieving gender equality in health systems. This would facilitate achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), with an aim to strengthen primary health care and improve essential health services.

As per the release, the G20 countries recognized the need for improving our understanding of long-COVID, its consequences on individual, social and economic levels as well as on post-COVID-related health services and noted the importance of surveillance and research into long-COVID.

They affirmed that the need of the hour is to converge, consolidate, and create a healthier future and strengthen national health systems including through effective community involvement through the underlying principle of “Leave No One Behind” and considering vulnerable populations living in crises affected settings.

Under the overarching theme of India’s G20 Presidency of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, the G20 nations deliberated on the three Health Priorities – Health Emergencies Prevention, Preparedness, and Response [PPR] (with focus on One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance [AMR]), Strengthening Cooperation in the Pharmaceutical sector with focus on availability & access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable Medical Countermeasures-VTDs (Vaccines, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics), and Digital Health Innovation and Solutions to Aid Universal Health Coverage and Improve Healthcare Service Delivery.

The G20 countries continue to be committed to strengthening the dialogue with the Finance track through the G20 Joint Finance-Health Task Force (JFHTF), and welcomed the conclusion of the First Call for Proposals of the Pandemic Fund, the release added.

They also highlighted the importance of securing new donors and co-investments. India’s efforts in arranging co-branded events which discussed beyond the identified priorities was commended by all nations.

The G20 member countries looked forward to a successful outcome of the ongoing negotiations in the Inter-Governmental Negotiating Body (INB) for a legally binding WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic PPR (WHO CA+) by May 2024 and the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (WGIHR), recognizing member states’ sovereignty and responsibility for health systems.

Expressing concern over rising cases of zoonotic diseases, the G20 member nations duly focused on integrating collaborative and inclusive One Health Approach as enunciated by the One Health High-Level Expert Panel and addressing the nexus between climate change and health.

The nations committed to prioritizing climate-resilient health systems development, building sustainable and low-carbon/low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission health systems and healthcare supply chains that deliver high-quality healthcare, mobilize resources for resilient, low-carbon sustainable health systems and facilitate collaboration.

They also recognized the potential role of evidence-based Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) in health, and took note of WHO’s efforts in this direction including global and collaborating centres, and clinical trial registries.

The G20 nations supported a WHO-led inclusive consultative process for the development of an interim medical countermeasures coordination mechanism led by an inclusive decision-making arrangement including effective representation of LMICs and other developing countries and convened by WHO to enhance collaboration for timely and equitable access to medical countermeasures against pandemic threats.

Building on the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, member states also recognized the significance of digital health and health data modernization in strengthening healthcare systems and making health services including routine immunization, mental health, nutrition, and sexual and reproductive health services accessible and equitable to all.

Digital health is important for a better healthcare system and can support the creation of standards-based electronic health records, enable near real-time public health surveillance, personalized care, improve quality of care through clinical decision support systems, enable continuum of care, facilitate self-management of health by patients. Appropriate and safe use of health data and proper legal and technical safeguards to the patient’s privacy can support informed public health policy, more strategic health financing models and promote unprecedented research opportunities.

The G20 member countries welcomed the results of work done by WHO, OECD, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization, and Global Digital Health Partnership (GDHP) started during the Indonesian Presidency, to improve trusted, cross-border interconnectivity and health systems to facilitate international travel and support global collaboration in health through WHO’s Global Digital Health Certification Network and look forward to exploring its broader application in future.

They also recognize the potential for innovative technologies, including the use of internet of things, big data analytics, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, to support people’s health needs and achieve the goal of UHC.

They note the importance of applying ethical principles and appropriate governance standards and principles to their development, adoption and use.

The member nations are committed to support the WHO’s efforts to establish the Global Initiative on Digital Health which will support the implementation of WHO member-states’ endorsed WHO’s Global Digital Health Strategy 2020-2025.

The initiative aims to support countries to plan and implement high quality digital health systems and facilitate patients to access healthcare services based on a people-centric approach.

They also underlined that it is essential to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. This includes defending all the Purposes and Principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and adhering to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and infrastructure in armed conflicts.

They emphasized that “the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today’s era must not be of war.”

The G20 nations are committed to further continuing action-oriented dialogues in global health under the incoming G20 presidencies, including Brazil in 2024. (ANI)

ALSO READ: India stresses on sharing expertise at G20

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Films reflect India’s soft power: Amitabh Kant

Aligned with India’s presidency theme, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (One Earth, One Family, One Future), the festival brings forth distinguished award-winning feature films…reports Asian Lite News

Amitabh Kant, India’s G-20 Sherpa, emphasised the potent soft power, unity, and diversity showcased through Indian cinema.

He spoke at the inauguration of the G20 Film Festival organised by the India International Centre (IIC) in partnership with the G20 Secretariat, Ministry of External Affairs.

The festival commenced with the screening of Satyajit Ray’s iconic 1955 film “Pather Panchali” (Song of the Little Road), running until September 3. Kant, the esteemed guest, underlined how films vividly mirror India’s “unity and diversity.”

Aligned with India’s presidency theme, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (One Earth, One Family, One Future), the festival brings forth distinguished award-winning feature films that reflect the distinct narratives and concerns of each nation. These films engage with themes of identity, delve into historical recollections, and explore social dynamics, among other topics. K N Shrivastava, Director of IIC, underscored this purposeful selection of films in a statement.

Throughout the festival, a compelling lineup of 16 internationally acclaimed feature films are being showcased. Titles such as “We are Still Here” from Australia, “Ana. Untitled” from Brazil, “Aristocrats” from Japan, “Mezquite’s Heart” from Mexico, and “Decision to Leave” from South Korea will grace the screen. Several of these presentations will be introduced by Ambassadors and High Commissioners representing G20 nations.

The film screenings are a welcoming gesture to all enthusiasts, with free admission to all showings. The screenings will take place at the CD Deshmukh Auditorium within the IIC premises

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India pushes for African Union’s inclusion at G20

New Delhi believes that the induction of the African Union as a member of the G20 can further encourage discussion and efforts to address the problems of the Global South….reports Asian Lite News

India is actively working towards assisting the African Union in becoming a part of the G20, the grouping of 20 major global economies. This endeavour is a significant goal during India’s presidency of the group this year, aiming to establish a lasting legacy.

“India is seeking for the African Union to join as a member of the G20 during our presidency,” India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, said at a press briefing.

The government of India believes that the induction of the African Union as a member of the G20 can further encourage discussion and efforts to address the problems of the Global South countries, Antara news agency reported.

The Global South is a term used for developing and less developed countries or low-income economies.

As the term suggests, the Global South includes countries whose economies are not yet fully developed and are facing challenges, such as low per capita income, excessive unemployment, and a lack of valuable capital — such as technology, Antara reported.

“Global South” refers broadly to the regions of Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

According to director general of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Chandrajit Banerjee, India, through its presidency of the G20 this year, wants to further voice the interests of the Global South countries.

“We want to be ‘the voice’ of the Global South, and we want to really focus and start from India and also make a strong commitment toward integrating with Africa,” he said.

For this reason, India is seeking to accelerate Africa’s integration into the global economy by making the African Union a member of the G20, he added.

He informed that one of these efforts will be carried out through the business sector task force formed by India as part of its G20 presidency, namely the B20 India Action Council for African economic integration.

According to the CII, a number of efforts will be made by India to support African economic integration, including promoting stronger human capital outcomes across health, education, and skill; transforming agriculture and food systems to sustainably improve productivity, food security, and nutritional levels; supporting trade to harness the potential of integration into regional and global value chains; and bridging the physical and digital connectivity gaps by supporting the provision of investment infrastructure.

The CII, as the B20 Secretariat, is supporting the organisation of various B20 India meetings under the grand theme RAISE, which stands for “Responsible, Accelerated, Innovative, Sustainable, and Equitable” businesses.

Business 20 (B20) is the official G20 dialogue forum for the global business community.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written to G20 counterparts to provide African Union with full membership at the upcoming G20 Summit in the national capital, New Delhi.

Prime Minister Modi firmly advocates and supports the Africa cause and has led from the front in this matter. This will be the right step towards a just, fair, more inclusive and representative global architecture and governance sources added.

Prime Minister Modi is also a strong believer in holding a greater voice of the Global South countries on international platforms, particularly of African countries, noted the sources.

As part of India’s G20 Presidency, he has particularly focused on incorporating priorities of the African countries in the G20 agenda, they added.

Earlier, while addressing the 18th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave in Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Africa occupies an important place in India’s Foreign Policy and during the last nine years, this has been consciously stepped up under the direction of PM Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday in the national capital.

The minister added that India’s engagement with Africa has been strengthened under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi. (with inputs from agencies)

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India organises foreign journalists’ visit ahead of G20 Summit

Foreign journalists are set to partake in a familiarisation visit to India, slated for August 12-23, 2023….reports Asian Lite News

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is organising a familiarisation visit to India for foreign journalists ahead of the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for September 2023 in New Delhi.

Foreign journalists hailing from G20 nations are set to partake in this familiarisation visit to India, slated for August 12-23, 2023.

The MEA envisions that this visit will provide journalists from G20 nations and permanent invitees with a direct and comprehensive grasp of India’s G20 focal points and advancements spanning diverse domains. This prelude is tailored to enrich their understanding before the pivotal G20 Leaders’ Summit in Delhi in September 2023.

Expressing enthusiasm, Vasudev Ravi, Deputy Secretary of Press Relations at the Ministry, conveyed, “It gives us great pleasure to have you (the journalists) with us as guests of the Government of India for a familiarisation visit,” as highlighted in a statement quoted by ANTARA on Monday.

The immersive itinerary of the familiarisation visit encompasses interactions with senior officials from various Indian governmental bodies including the MEA. Moreover, it encompasses on-site visits to locations of economic, scientific, educational, research, defense, and historical significance, alongside renowned tourist attractions.

The overarching objective of this program is to enhance journalists’ insight into modern-day India. Ravi emphasized, “During your stay in India, our endeavor is not only to immerse you in India’s culturally diverse and vibrant tapestry but also to acquaint you with the significant strides and initiatives shaping our nation in the 21st century,” as articulated in the statement.

India took over the G20 Presidency from Indonesia in December 2022. This year-long leadership will culminate in the G20 Heads of State and Government Summit scheduled for September 9-10, 2023, in New Delhi.

Throughout its Presidency, India anticipates hosting over 200 G20 gatherings across the country, delving into themes outlined within the three distinct workstreams: the Sherpa Track, the Finance Track, and the Engagement Groups.

The G20 coalition consists of 19 individual countries—Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States—alongside the European Union.

This collective represents approximately 85 percent of the world’s GDP, over 75 percent of global trade, and roughly two-thirds of the global population.

As a premier platform for international economic collaboration, the G20 significantly influences global frameworks and governance across major economic fronts.

During India’s presidency, the G20 troika is composed of Indonesia, India, and Brazil.

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Kashmiri hospitality on display at G20-Srinagar

From 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to bring back Kashmir to the prosperity it once enjoyed, writes Prof. Madhav Das Nalapat

Among the most beautiful locations on the globe, Kashmir has suffered from 1947 onwards as a consequence of the obsession by the rulers of Pakistan to reaffirm the two-nation theory by snatching away by subterfuge mixed with violence a Muslim-majority state from India. The 1965 war between India and Pakistan would have been very different, had the then Chief of Army Staff been replaced by one of his juniors who had more spine. Had the COAS at the time been able to, he would have countermanded the decision made by Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to take the pressure away from Kashmir by attacking across a broad front.

As is the norm in India, where nothing succeeds as much as failure, despite his poor leadership, the then COAS was rewarded by a diplomatic assignment while the Lt General, who was the actual hero of the 1965 war, went unacknowledged. At the Tashkent conference, what slivers of Pakistan territory captured by India was given back, as also the most effective gateway for terrorists to cross into that part of Kashmir that was rescued by India in the 1947 war, the Haji Pir pass. An even bigger gesture of making futile unilateral concessions at Shimla in 1972 brought no respite from the overt and covert war that the Pakistan military establishment was conducting against India.

Indeed, it was during the 1980s that several schools were set up in Liberated Kashmir that indoctrinated the youth attending them to hate their own country and back its secession. Worse, several individuals who were not even covertly opposed to India were allowed to cross over from the other side of the Line of Control and settle in Liberated Kashmir. It was from this influx that the human seeds of the asymmetric warfare that ravaged the Valley in particular for much of the 1990s came from.

Worse still, political parties that were plainly opposed to the 1947 integration of Kashmir into the Union of India were wooed by national parties and made part of the machinery of the government of the state. Small wonder that the wound inflicted on the wellbeing of the people of Kashmir by GHQ Rawalpindi and its proxies continued to fester. A state that ought to have been among the top ten tourist destinations of the world, that ought to have been the location of the best educational and health facilities in India, slipped into the abyss of insurgency.

And it was not only in Kashmir that the Pakistan army showed its gratitude-in-reverse for the incredibly generous concessions made by the Indian side at Shimla, including the effective pardoning of the many officers of the Pakistan army that had been guilty of rape, lool and genocide in Bangladesh during the years preceding the 1971 war that ended in the Indian armed forces and the Mukti Bahini liberating Bangladesh. Soon after Shimla, planning began at GHQ Rawalpindi to convert Punjab into an inferno through the Khalistan movement, which is now going largely as a consequence of funds handed over the purpose to GHQ Rawalpindi by the military that is its master in all but name.

Together with the military and police, the people of Punjab defeated that conspiracy to melt down the state. The Sikh community in particular once again showed its patriotism and commitment to the Tricolour. The G20 meeting on tourism that has just taken place in Srinagar has demonstrated that the people of Kashmir too have stepped forward to support not those from across the western and northern borders of India that want the Union Territory to plunge into chaos and violence, but those who seek to ensure that Kashmir reaches its potential as a peaceful and prosperous part of India. From 2014, Prime Minister Modi has sought to bring back Kashmir to the prosperity it once enjoyed before Sheikh Abdullah was brought back to power in the state during 1975 by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

From 2014 onwards, Modi worked towards this objective, and there can be no better evidence of the confidence that the Prime Minister has in the Kashmiri people than in his decision to hold the G20 meeting on tourism in Srinagar. The intention was to once again make Kashmir an international destination for tourism and investment, and the people of Kashmir lived up to his expectations by showing the warmth and hospitality that had long been the defining characteristic of the people of Kashmir, and which GHQ Rawalpindi and its external masters have long been seeking to replace with a mixture of intolerance and mayhem.

President Erdogan of Turkey repaid India for the unstinted assistance given to his country by India during the 6 February earthquake by refusing to send any delegate from his country to the G20 summit. China naturally absented itself, as seeing the placid atmosphere in Kashmir despite pumping in so much assistance to the Pakistan military would have resulted in a nervous breakdown among many in its delegation.

As for the Saudi absence, it is clear that the modernising hand of Crown Prince Mohamad bin Salman is not all-powerful in the Kingdom, else the Saudis would have followed the Indonesians, the Europeans, Brazil, South Africa and the big European economies in attending the meeting. Perhaps it was simply fear that kept the Egyptian and Saudi delegations away, given that both are modernising rather than slipping back into medievalism in the way some other countries are. Riyadh and Cairo may have taken seriously the informal warning given by Beijing that the Srinagar meet was hopelessly unsafe, and not to risk their lives by going.

Unfortunately for them, the overwhelming majority of countries in the G20 attended. As for Turkey under Erdogan, Ankara has followed the example of Islamabad and Beijing in repaying help given by India with a contrary action that brings harm. The Turkish absence serves as a warning to those in the Lutyens Zone who never learn that unilateral concessions beget only a demand for more concessions rather than cause a change in established behaviour patterns of hostility.

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