European Council President Arrives In Delhi Ahead Of G20 Summit

European Council President Charles Michel arrived on Thursday to participate in the G20 Summit, scheduled to take place in New Delhi on September 9-10.

President Michel was received by Prahalad Singh Patel, Minister of Jal Shakti and Minister of Food Processing Industries at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here.

Earlier in the day, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also arrived in Delhi to participate in the G20 Summit. She was received by the Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Anupriya Singh Patel.

India and the EU have a common interest in ensuring security, prosperity and sustainable development in a multi-polar world. Both India and the EU agreed to further build on these convergences and foster new synergies for jointly contributing to a safer, greener, cleaner, more digital, resilient and stable world, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

The EU is India's 2nd-largest trading partner (after the US) and India's 2nd-largest export market. India is the EU's 10th largest trading partner, accounting for 2 per cent of EU total trade in goods.

Trade in services between the EU and India reached 40 billion euros in 2021.

India has geared up to host the G20 Leader's Summit in New Delhi at the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam on September 9 and 10.

Extensive preparations and arrangements have been made for the summit, with the intention of showcasing both India's soft power as well as modern face.

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.

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.

Earlier, in an interview with ANI, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the G20 is not an international peace and security forum. The G20 is about global growth and development, so we will be taking a global view.

Mr Jaishankar further said that the world is changing and the G20 itself is actually the best statement of it, which is today viewed as the premier global forum. 

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