Virtual G-20 summit by India begins

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – A virtual summit of G-20 leaders hosted by India began on Wednesday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing the closed meeting of the leaders of the world's top 20 economies.

New Delhi has invited the leaders of all G-20 member nations including the chair of the African Union, as well as nine guest countries, and the heads of 11 international organizations.

The summit, which is expected to push for effective implementation of various G-20 decisions, was described as “very rare and rather exceptional” by India's G-20 Sherpa, or negotiator, Amitabh Kant.

The “closed meeting” will be the second time Modi will be hosting the G-20 leaders within a span of just over 2.5 months.

“No other presidency has had a physical meeting of all the leaders and then a virtual meeting,” said Kant.

New Delhi hosted a physical summit of G-20 leaders in September, when Modi said India would host a second summit in online format this month.

China announced this week that Premier Li Qiang will attend the summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the G-20 meeting.

Putin and China's President Xi Jinping both skipped the September New Delhi summit.

India's G-20 term presidency ends this month, with Brazil set to take the reins.