BALI:After attending the G20 Summit in Bali and taking over the G20 Presidency from Indonesia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emplaned for India.
During his three day trip to Bali, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with heads of eight to nine countries and interacted with the Indian diaspora on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Indonesia.
The Prime Minister Modi met with his UK and Australian counterparts Rishi Sunak and Anthony Albanese and discussed various issues with the heads of both countries.
Prime Ministers Modi, Rishi Sunak expressed satisfaction at the state of the wide ranging India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and progress on the Roadmap 2030 for future Relations.
The two leaders also appreciated the importance of working together in bilateral and multilateral forums including G20 and the Commonwealth.
Prime Ministers Modi and Albanese reiterated their stand for a shared and peaceful Indo-Pacific region amid Chinese assertiveness on the margins of the G20 Summit.
The Prime Minister also met US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and heads of Italy, Singapore and Senegal as well.
While giving his address in the closing ceremony of the G20 Summit, PM Modi said, “India’s G20 presidency will be inclusive, ambitious, decisive and action-oriented. In the next year, it will be our endeavour that G20 works as a global prime mover to give impetus to collective action.”
Talking further about India’s presidency of the G20 summit, PM Modi said that the country is taking charge of the G-20 at a time when the world is simultaneously grappling with geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown, rising food and energy prices, and the long term ill effects of the pandemic.
This G20 became special as India officially received the presidency of the G20 Summit and will assume office from 1st December 2022 for a one year period.
Moreover, during a special briefing on PM Modi’s Bali visit, Foreign Secretary Kwatra said that the Prime Minister and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged courtesies at the G20 dinner hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Bali, Indonesia.
Both the leaders exchanged pleasantries at the high-profile dinner.
Apparently, it was the first handshake between Chinese leader Xi and PM Modi since China’s People’s Liberation Army and the Indian Army’s standoff in eastern Ladakh in April 2020.
The relations between India and China soured following a standoff in April-May 2020 over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas including the Finger Area, Galwan Valley, Hot Springs, and Kongrung Nala. The situation worsened after violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June.
In June 2020, the two armies were engaged in a violent clash that resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and at least three Chinese troops.
Earlier today, PM Modi arrived at the mangrove forest in Bali and was greeted upon his arrival by Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo.
Mangroves play an important role in global conservation efforts. India has joined the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC), a joint initiative of Indonesia and UAE under the Indonesian G-20 Presidency.
At the closing ceremony, Indonesian President Joko Widodo officially handed over the G20 Presidency to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)