New Delhi prepares to welcome world leaders at G20

All out preparations are underway in the Indian capital New Delhi for the upcoming mega event- G20 Summit- slated to be held on September 9-10 under India's Presidency.

Delhi has undergone an impressive makeover in the run up of the summit while security has been beefed up in and around the national capital and the summit venue ahead of one of the world's biggest gatherings.

Key streets right from the Indiara Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) have been adorned with giant thematic G20 logo, welcome billboards and artworks blending Indian culture with modernity to greet the world leaders.

City's major roads and throughfares were beautified with plants, fountains, sculptures and illuminating with try-colour lights while parks and open spaces got a new look.

Meanwhile, the authorities have issued traffic advisory restricting movement of all modes of transport for general people from airport to summit venue at the city's iconic Pragati Maidan from September 8-11.

More than 25 world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the summit, reports said.

A formidable gathering of 18 countries, who are members of the grouping, will be represented at the leaders' level.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the summit. His absence will be filled by his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov.

Apart from US President Joe Baiden, the prominent leaders who are expected to join the upcoming G20 Summit are- Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Chinese President Xi Jinping, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammad Bin Salman, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, President of the European Council Charles Michel, and President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen.

Besides, Mexico's delegation will be led by Minister of Economy Raquel Buenrostro Sanchez.

However, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the upcoming G20 summit being invited under India's outreach extends.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, and Mauritius' PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth are among the invited guests, joined by Netherlands' PM Mark Rutte, Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Singapore's PM Lee Hsien Loong, Spain's President Pedro Sanchez, UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed, and Oman's Deputy PM Sayyid Asad Bin Tariq Al Said who is also the personal representative for the Sultan.

With India's advocacy for the African Union's integration into the G20 consortium, Azali Assoumani, Chairperson of the African Union who is also the President of Comoros, will take part in the summit.

Leaders of important multilateral organisations will join the occasion, including WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, World Bank President Ajay Banga, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, OECD Secretary-General Mathias Hubert Paul Cormann, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, ILO Director-General Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo, ISA Director General Ajay Mathur, CDRI Director General Amit Prothi, ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa, and Chair of the Financial Stability Board, Klaas Knot.