India takes charge of G20 presidency

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday formally took charge of the G20 presidency from Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Bali, with the former assuring it will be inclusive, ambitious, decisive and action-oriented. 

“Together with every country’s efforts, we can make the G20 summit a catalyst for global welfare,” Modi said at a brief ceremony. In the Bali Declaration to which India had constructively contributed, members deplored in the strongest terms Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and demanded its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the annexed territories. It also deplored Russia’s veiled threats on the use of nuclear weapons, saying it was inadmissible. 

“Today’s era must not be of war,” the declaration said, echoing Modi’s remark during his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Samarkand in September. It acknowledged differences among members on the Ukraine war but emphasised the need to adhere to international law, including the protection of civilians caught in conflicts.

Earlier in the day, while addressing a session on digital transformation, Modi said it could be a force multiplier to fight global poverty. “Can we take a pledge together that in the next 10 years we will bring digital transformation into the life of every human being so that no person in the world will be deprived of the benefits of digital technology?’’ Modi added.

On the sidelines of the G20 meet, Modi held bilateral talks with six heads of state — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong and Australian PM Antony Albanese.

One interesting talking point was on how Chinese President Xi Jinping went after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the leaked reports of their bilateral meeting. An agitated Xi was seen saying, “Everything we discuss has been leaked to the paper, that’s not appropriate.” Trudeau responded, saying: “We believe in free and open and frank dialogue.” Xi retorted, “Let us create the conditions first.” 

UK, India door opens for 3,000 grads
Britain on Wednesday announced the contours of the UK-India Young Professionals Scheme, under which the UK will offer 3,000 places annually to 18-30-year-old degree-educated Indian nationals to come to the UK to live and work for up to two years. The scheme will be reciprocal. The announcement was made after the first bilateral meeting Modi had with Sunak