Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in New Delhi on Friday to participate in the G20 Summit, which is being hosted under India's Presidency on September 9-10. At the airport, she received a warm welcome from Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Shobha Karandlaje.
Meloni's visit to India in March earlier this year included her attendance at the eighth edition of the Raisina Dialogue. During this visit, she engaged in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi. During their discussions, both leaders decided to elevate the India-Italy partnership to the level of a strategic partnership.
India and Italy have a long history of trade ties, spanning over 2000 years, and established political relations in 1947. The G20 Summit is taking place at the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan in the national capital.
India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1st last year and organized about 200 meetings related to the G20 across 60 cities in the country. This marks the first time that a G20 Summit is being held under India's presidency.
The Group of Twenty (G20) was established in 1999 with the aim of maintaining global financial stability by including middle-income countries. It serves as the primary forum for international economic cooperation and plays a crucial role in shaping and strengthening global governance on major international economic issues.
The G20 includes 19 countries - Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States - along with the European Union.
Currently, G20 members collectively account for over 80 percent of the world's GDP, 75 percent of global trade, and 60 percent of the global population.
The 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in New Delhi will mark the culmination of all G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year involving ministers, senior officials, and civil societies.
At the conclusion of the New Delhi Summit, a G20 Leaders' Declaration will be adopted, reflecting the leaders' commitment to the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group meetings.
The next G20 presidency will be assumed by Brazil in 2024, followed by South Africa in 2025.