Narendra Modi calls to remove ‘global trust deficit’; welcomes African Union into G20

New Delhi: Leaders of the world’s biggest economies have gathered in New Delhi for a two-day G20 summit that began this morning. The mega summit is being held at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the grandeur of which is being praised by the delegates.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the Summit and after welcoming top world leaders, he called for turning the “global trust deficit” into a relationship of trust. Notably, ‘Bharat’ replaced ‘India’ on the PM’s nameplate.

‘Bharat’ has also been used in a G20 booklet meant for foreign delegates titled — “Bharat, The Mother Of Democracy”. “Bharat is the official name of the country. It is mentioned in the Constitution as also in the discussions of 1946-48,” the booklet says.

PM Modi welcomed the African Union, a continental body of 55-Member States, as a permanent member of the G20 grouping, amid thunderous applause by world leaders. African Union Chair and Comoros President Azali Assoumani then took his seat among world leaders at the invitation of Foreign Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Before formally starting the proceedings of G20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences over the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco. “We pray that all injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time,” he said.

The post-COVID world is suffering from a trust deficit, and the (Ukraine) war has deepened it further, he said, adding that we need to walk together for global good. PM Modi said we live in times when age-old problems are seeking answers, and we need to fulfil our responsibilities with a human-centric approach.

“The idea of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, sabka prayas’ can be a guide to the world,” he added. PM Modi said India’s G20 Presidency has become a symbol of inclusion, both inside and outside the country.

The PM highlighted the need to further human-centric development, which is also something Indian culture has always emphasised on. “It is with a spirit of One Earth that India has worked on initiatives such as LiFE Mission, emphasised on International Year of Millets, launched Green Grids Initiative – One Sun, One World, One Grid, harnessed solar power, encouraged natural farming and the National Green Hydrogen Mission,” Modi said.

A replica of the 13th century Konark Wheel from the Sun temple in Odisha’s Puri served as the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s welcome handshake with G20 leaders as they arrived at the summit venue. Modi reached Bharat Mandapam, accompanied by Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, among others.

The leaders attending the summit include US President Jo Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, 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 Inacio Lula da Silva. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are not attending the summit.

India currently holds the G20 presidency, which rotates annually among the member nations. Welcoming world leaders and foreign delegates who will be attending the Summit, President Droupadi Murmu said, “India’s G20 Presidency theme, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth, One Family, One Future’, is a global roadmap for sustainable, inclusive, and human-centric development. I wish the participants of G20 Summit every success in their efforts towards realising this vision.”