Vikas Pandey
Reporting from G20

A draft of the G20 declaration accessed by the BBC shows that the paragraph on the Ukraine war has been left blank for now.

The draft shows agreements on several issues, including banking reforms and cryptocurrency regulation.

But a paragraph on the "geopolitical situation" is blank in the draft, Reuters news agency also reported.

The agency added that the contentious paragraph had been agreed upon by Western countries and now it was left to Russia to either accept it or agree to adding a note of dissent.

If Moscow doesn't accept both the options, Delhi may have to look at issuing a chair's summary, which host countries can use to show consensus on a majority of issues but not all of them.

A G20 official, who did not want to be named, said that it was a draft and could possibly change in the next 36 hours.

Anbarasan Ethirajan
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

In March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of war crimes in Ukraine. So, Putin would want to avoid the ignominy of being arrested if he steps out of Russia. He skipped the recent Brics summit in South Africa as well.

Last year, even before the ICC warrant, he didn’t attend the G20 meeting in Bali. Analysts had speculated then that he probably wanted to avoid being isolated at a global platform over the Ukraine invasion.

The situation at home is also a concern. Putin’s grip over Russia was shaken by the recent attempted mutiny by the Wagner private military group. Instead of Putin, Russia’s veteran foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is in Delhi. Any attempt to pass a joint declaration which criticises Russia’s role in Ukraine will face stiff resistance from Moscow.

Yogita Limaye
Reporting from G20

Bharat.

That’s what the country card said when the Indian prime minister inaugurated the summit. Mr Modi’s government, in an unconventional move, has been referring to India as Bharat, leading to some confusion and debate at the summit.

Ahead of the meeting too, there had been speculation about whether the name of the country would be officially changed after Bharat was used in a dinner invite sent on behalf of the president. However, there’s no confirmation yet that this will formally be done.

Bharat is a name widely used domestically and is also mentioned in the country’s constitution - the first line of the first article reads "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States".

Image source, @India G20

Indians refer to the nation interchangeably as India or Bharat, the latter perhaps more commonly used when speaking in languages other than English. Both names have origins in the region, but there is debate over which is the more ancient or original name.

Read more here

The war in Ukraine will be discussed and there is a real risk that it might overshadow the summit. But India wants to avoid that and will use its presidency to keep the countries focused on topics that it sees as important.

The issues of developing countries are what India wants the group to keep at the forefront. Many developing countries have been struggling to repay their debts to lenders like China and the IMF and Delhi wants rich countries to help them.

Climate change is another issue that Delhi wants to build consensus on. Developing countries are expected to suffer the most from climate change and they want assurances. Global supply chains, pandemic preparedness, terrorism and security are other issues that will be discussed.

Soutik Biswas
India Correspondent

When Mr Modi invited the African Union (AU) to take its place in the G20 as the newest permanent member it didn’t come as a surprise.

One of the key objectives of the inclusion is to unite Africa and enable it to have a unified voice in global affairs.

Mr Modi has repeatedly said that India’s G20 presidency is aimed at greater participation of the Global South in international affairs. The inclusion of the African Union is a huge part of this initiative.

The prime minister has expressed pride in the fact that India's presidency of G20 had seen "the largest-ever participation from African countries".

Vikas Pandey
Reporting from G20

A delegation from Africa sitting next to me erupted in joy the moment Modi invited African Union President Azali Assoumani to take his seat as a permanent member of the G20.

What followed was the Indian PM's trademark hug for Assoumani. A member of the delegation remarked, "history has been made".

The AU's membership will make the G20 more inclusive, which has been one of the key objectives of India's presidency of the group.

This is the historic moment when the African Union - a regional bloc made up of 55 member states - joined the G20 as a permanent member amid applause from delegates.

This summit is witnessing a landmark decision. Just moments ago, Prime Minister Modi invited the African Union to take its place at the G20 table as a permanent member. "I believe that inclusion of African Union will get the support of all," Modi said as he invited the bloc's chair Comoros President Azali Assoumani to address the delegates.

The African bloc - made up of 55 member states - is at the summit on India's invitation. Now, it will have the same status as the European Union.

India has been advocating for the AU’s inclusion for months. Countries like Russia, the US, Australia and Japan also supported the move after Senegalese President Macky Sall proposed it in 2022 during his chairmanship of the AU.

Analysts say the move would strengthen the voice of the Global South - which India seeks to represent - and give African nations a global platform to highlight problems faced by developing nations, as well as a bigger say in decisions concerning them when made by more prosperous nations of the world.

Image source, MEA/X

Vikas Pandey
Reporting from G20

Prime Minister Modi in his opening remarks invited the African Union (AU) to take its place in the G20 as a permanent member.

The inclusion of the AU was widely expected ahead of the summit.

The decision will further bolster Modi's efforts to make India the voice of the Global South.

Vikas Pandey
Reporting from G20

World leaders have arrived at the G20 summit venue in Delhi and now they will go behind closed doors for the first session titled 'One Earth'.

It will largely be focused on environmental issues. The session is going to be a contentious one as developing countries, represented by India, are asking rich nations to share the bigger burden of emission-cut targets and also commit money, technology and infrastructure to fight climate change.

But a deal that clearly spells out details is unlikely. What we might see is language that acknowledges the challenge, with pledges from G20 nations to do more to fight climate change.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially kickstarted the first day of the G20 summit with a welcome speech to the delegates.

Modi began his address by first expressing his condolences over the loss of lives in Morocco, where an earthquake has killed at least 296 people. He also posted on X (formerly Twitter) about the tragedy earlier today.

"We pray that all injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time," he wrote.

Modi ended his address by talking about India's G20 presidency, saying it was "one of inclusion".

"We should uphold a human-centric approach while meeting challenges of the 21st Century," he said.

Image source, Getty Images

After Sunak, it's President Biden who has arrived at Bharat Mandapam.

He was greeted by Modi after which the leaders posed for the cameras with beaming smiles.

Last night, Modi and Biden held bilateral talks ahead of the summit, with the leaders pledging cooperation on a raft of issues.

Image source, Getty Images

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has arrived at the venue and has been greeted by PM Modi with a handshake and a hug.

The BBC's Nikita Mandhani takes a walk around the G20 media centre, where correspondents from around the world have gathered.

PM Modi greeted world leaders as they arrived at the summit venue. Some were welcomed with handshakes, others such as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau received Modi's trademark hugs.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, India G20

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

With just minutes left for the first session of the G20 to start, leaders and delegates have begun arriving at the summit venue, where they are being welcomed by Prime Minister Modi.

Zoya Mateen
Reporting from Delhi

Image source, Getty Images

India has been positioning itself as a leading voice of developing countries known as the Global South in recent years - and G20 is seen as its chance to deliver on these promises on a bigger stage.

The summit also comes ahead of the 2024 general elections in India and could bolster Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image as a leader who commands respect globally.

So, the government has left no stone unturned to make the event a grand affair. More than 200 meetings have been held across 60 cities in the run-up to the Delhi summit. For months, cities and towns have been dotted with shiny billboards and posters bearing the G20 logo and Modi's photos, framing the event as the prime minister's earnest attempt to bring the world to India.

There’s also excitement among ordinary Indians, even those unaware of the nuances of foreign policy. “People see the summit as a big event. It makes them feel proud about their country,” says Jitendra Nath Misra, a former Indian ambassador.

Image source, G20 India

Image source, G20 India

The first images of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arriving in India are just in. After the summit, the crown prince will stay on in India for a state visit, starting 11 September.

Soutik Biswas
India Correspondent

The G20 summit is about to begin at the impressive Bharat Mandapam, the sprawling building constructed on a 123-acre site in central Delhi. We drove through deserted streets to reach the tightly-guarded venue, where we underwent a thorough frisking and double bag checks upon entry.

The place is abuzz with activity. Glitzy exhibitions featuring Indian art and digital innovations are on display. Hundreds of journalists have gathered in the large media centre, watching footage of world leaders arriving in Delhi on enormous television screens.

The first session, dedicated to climate action and bolstering the global net-zero emission agenda, is scheduled to commence soon.

From Joe Biden to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, world leaders have arrived in Delhi to attend the summit.