G20 Summit 2017: PM Narendra Modi came here after a three-day tour of Israel.
As the two-day
G20 Summit kicks off today in Hamburg, Germany, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who came straight from Israel after wrapping up his historic three-day visit, will raise some key issues affecting India. Discussions on free and open trade, migration, sustainable development and global stability are also expected to come up. A meeting with leaders of Canada, Japan, and the UK, has already been confirmed.
However, an official bilateral meeting has been ruled out between Chinese President Xi Jinping and PM Modi in the wake of a standoff at the border near Sikkim, but the two leaders will be part of a smaller session of BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. China has said that "the atmosphere is not right" for a formal or bilateral meeting between the two nations.
Sources in the Indian government also said they're not sure of whether an informal one-on-one meeting for PM Modi and President Xi will take place.
"As in the past, I look forward to the opportunity to meet leaders on the sidelines of the summit to exchange views on bilateral matters of mutual interest," PM Modi had said.
The theme for this year's G20 Summit is "Shaping an Inter-connected World".
"Over two days on 7th and 8th July, I look forward to engaging leaders from other G-20 countries on the vital issues affecting our world today that have a bearing on economic growth, sustainable development, and peace and stability," PM Narendra Modi had said.
He also added that progress on decisions since the Hangzhou Summit last year will be reviewed and there will be deliberations on issues such as terrorism, climate, sustainable development, growth and trade, digitalisation, health, employment, migration, women's empowerment, and partnership with Africa.
The summit this year witnesses massive protests. Protesters say, G20 has failed to solve many of the issues threatening world peace. They damaged cars, set other objects ablaze and threw bottles at security personnel. Many protesters as well as police personnel got injured in the clashes.