G20 Summit: UK PM Rishi Sunak, his wife arrive in India

New Delhi [India], September 8 (ANI): UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arrived here on Friday to attend the G20 Summit being held on September 9 and 10. He is accompanied by his wife Akshata Murty. 

Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ashwini Kumar Choubey received Sunak and his wife at the airport. 

A group of dancers performed a traditional Indian dance to welcome Sunak and his wife.  It is Rishi Sunak’s first visit to India as Prime Minister since he assumed office in October last year.  

Ahead of his arrival in Delhi, Rishi Sunak said that he is heading to the G20 Summit with a clear focus, which includes stabilising the global economy, building international ties and supporting the most vulnerable.

“I’m heading to the #G20 Summit with a clear focus. Stabilising the global economy. Building international relationships. Supporting the most vulnerable. This action is part of that – Putin again has failed to show up for the G20, but we will show up with support for Ukraine,” Sunak said in a post on X. 

“At the summit, the Prime Minister will stress the importance of those who do choose to attend demonstrating their leadership, both in helping the world’s most vulnerable people to deal with the terrible consequences of Putin’s war and in addressing wider challenges like climate change and the stability of the global economy,” UK Prime Minister’s Office said. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Rishi Sunak on September 9 on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, sources said.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima in May this year and discussed the India-UK free trade agreement, innovation, and science along with ways to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. The two countries are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement and the talks started in 2022.

The 12th round of negotiations for the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) took place from August 8 to 31. The negotiations for the UK-India FTA were conducted in a hybrid fashion, with a number of UK officials travelling to Delhi for negotiations and others attending virtually.

In August this year, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and the UK’s Secretary of State for Trade Kemi Badenoch took stock of the FTA and agreed on ways to progress the negotiations. The 13th round of negotiations is due to take place in September.

Earlier, Gautam Dev Sood, a relative of Rishi Sunak, expressed his excitement at the UK Prime Minister coming to India and expressed his desire to meet him. 

“We are very happy that he is coming to India. There is a great sense of excitement that we are trying to assemble in Delhi if it is possible to meet him,” he told ANI.

On being asked if there is any confirmation of UK PM Sunak going to Ludhiana, he said that there is no information as of now. Sood also said that the relatives in Ludhiana are also excited and trying to get permission to meet him.

The G20 Leader’s Summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam. Extensive preparations and arrangements have been made for the Summit being held in India for the first time.

The G20 grouping comprises 19 countries – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, and the US along with the European Union. y, G20 members account for more than 80 per of the world’s GDP, 75 per cent of global trade, and 60 per cent of the global population.

India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1 last year and about 200 meetings related to G20 were organized in 60 cities across the country. The 18th G20 Summit 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.