Bali: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had informal interactions with US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron and several other global leaders today on the sidelines of the G20 summit here and exchanged views on a range of issues.
In an address at the G20 summit here, Modi said that climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, the developments in Ukraine and the global problems associated with it have caused havoc in the world and rued that the global supply chains are in “ruins”.
Referring to India’s upcoming G-20 presidency, Modi said he was confident when the leaders of the grouping meet in the “holy land of Buddha and Gandhi, we will all agree to convey a strong message of peace to the world.”
“PM @narendramodi and @POTUS @JoeBiden interact during the @g20org Summit in Bali,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a tweet.
Modi also met UK’s Prime Minister Sunak, their first face-to-face interaction since he assumed power last month.
“Prime Ministers @narendramodi and @RishiSunak in conversation during the first day of the @g20org Summit in Bali,” the PMO said in another tweet.
“A brief discussion at the start of the @g20org Summit with President @EmmanuelMacron,” the PMO tweeted.
Modi is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with Sunak and Macron, apart from holding a meeting with the host country’s president Joko Widodo on Wednesday.
He met Senegal President and Chairman of the African Union Macky Sall.
“@narendramodi interacted with President @Macky_Sall, the President of Senegal and Chairman of the African Union. @PR_Senegal,” the PMO said in another tweet. Modi also met Netherlands President Mark Rutte.
“Multilateral summits present wonderful opportunities for leaders to exchange views on diverse issues. Prime Ministers @narendramodi and Mark Rutte interact during the @g20org Summit in Bali. @MinPres,” the PMO added.
Modi also met the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva and India-born Gita Gopinath, the deputy managing director of the IMF.
“Enriching interaction with @KGeorgieva and @GitaGopinath,” the PMO tweeted. Gopinath later said that she had an excellent exchange with Prime Minister Modi and is having all her eyes on India’s G20 Presidency.
“Excellent exchange with Prime Minister @narendramodi. All eyes on India’s G20 Presidency,” Gopinath tweeted.
Georgieva thanked Prime Minister Modi for sparing time at the margins of the G20 and meeting her.
“Thank you @narendramodi for sparing time at the margins of @g20org! Great talking with you – and to be joined by @GitaGopinath,” Georgieva tweeted.
Modi also met World Bank President David Malpass.
“Happy to have met @WorldBank President @DavidMalpassWBG,” Modi tweeted.
Modi also met Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation.
“PM @narendramodi had a brief interaction with @NOIweala, the DG of @wto in Bali earlier today,” the PMO tweeted.
Modi affirmed that G-20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation, and underlined the importance of the G-20 continuing to demonstrate its capacity to bring together major economies, to overcome global challenges, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.
G-20 is working together to restore sustainable and inclusive growth in our economies and beyond, tackle the ongoing climate, energy, and food crises, strengthen global health architecture and promote technological transformation, the release said.
Modi affirmed that India would give voice to other developing countries during its Presidency, and emphasised G-20’s role in assisting vulnerable countries; supporting inclusive development, strengthening economic security and global supply chains; developing improved and innovative financing models for multilateral financial institutions; providing solutions to challenges like climate change, pandemics, economic fragility, reducing poverty and achieving SDGs; and leveraging public and private financing to close the infrastructure gap, it said.
Modi also thanked President Widodo and President Biden for their commitment to supporting G-20’s work under India’s Presidency, the release added.
India will assume G20 Presidency for one year, beginning December 1, 2022. 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, the UK, the USA and the European Union (EU). (PTI)
