PM Modi at G20 Summit: All you need to know
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on a two-day visit to Rome to attend the G20 Summit, which aims to discuss the issues of climate change, COVID-19, and economic recovery. On the sidelines of the summit, Modi also interacted with world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron. Here's all that happened on Saturday and Sunday's agenda for the summit.
Why does it matter?
The G20 Summit is an important forum for India to engage with the major economies in the world. G20 members account for 80% of the global GDP, 75% of global trade, and 60% of the world population. On Saturday, PM Modi highlighted India's contribution to the global fight against COVID-19 and stressed the need for supply chain diversification.
5B vaccine doses by 2022-end
On Saturday, Modi told world leaders at the summit that India is ready to produce five billion COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of 2022, India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said in a statement. Modi also highlighted India's contribution to the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and spoke about India's 'One Earth, One Health' vision, Shringla said.
India's push for COVAXIN's WHO nod
Further, Shringla said the World Health Organization's emergency use listing (EUL) for Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine COVAXIN would be helpful to achieve the five billion target. COVAXIN's EUL has been pending before a WHO panel for months.
Modi on supply chain diversification
Modi invited world leaders to make India a partner in global economic recovery and supply chain diversification, Shringla said. The PM highlighted that India had continued to be a "trusted partner in the context of reliable supply chains" despite challenges posed by the pandemic. He also called for more resilient global supply chains, the statement added.
Meetings with world leaders
On the sidelines of the summit on Saturday, Modi interacted with US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He also held "fruitful" discussions with Singapore's PM Lee Hsien Loong. The two leaders "reviewed the full range of the friendly ties between India and Singapore."
Productive talks between India, France
Modi held a "productive" discussion with France's Macron, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement. It said, "India and France are cooperating extensively in various sectors. Today's talks will add momentum to the bilateral ties between the two nations."
What else happened yesterday?
On the sidelines of the summit, Biden, Johnson, Macron, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held discussions on Iran's nuclear program. Italian PM Mario Draghi called for more efforts to provide vaccines to poorer nations. World leaders endorsed a proposal to collect the minimum tax rate from corporations starting 2023. This would prevent big businesses from hiding their profits in "tax havens."
Modi meets the Pope
Modi also had a "warm meeting" with Pope Francis and invited him to visit India. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Minister Dr. S Jaishankar accompanied him during the meet. Shringla said the Pope described the invitation as the "greatest gift" and accepted it.
Modi's agenda for Sunday
On Sunday, Modi will reportedly visit the Trevi Fountain in Rome and attend a G20 session on climate change and the environment. He will also hold bilateral talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez the same day. The schedule also includes a session on sustainable development and a side event hosted by Biden on "supply chain resilience."
Modi to head for Glasgow later
After the G20 Summit in Rome, Modi will head for UK's Glasgow, where he will attend the COP26 meet at the invitation of British PM Boris Johnson. Notably, the COP26 meet is focused on climate change.
