PM Modi hands over the gavel of G 20 presidency to the Brazilian President

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday shared a post on X welcoming da Silva, who arrived in the country for the G20 Summit. PM Modi recalled his meeting with the Brazilian President in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the recently held BRICS Summit. India will pass on the presidency of the G20 to Brazil.

New Delhi: Marking the ceremonial transfer of the G20 presidency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday handed over the gavel to Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva who hailed India for giving voice to topics of interests of emerging economies. At the concluding session, Modi handed over the gavel and offered best wishes to Brazil for the presidency. Brazil officially will take over the mantle of the presidency of the elite grouping on December 1 this year.

Speaking on the occasion, Lula da Silva congratulated Modi and thanked India for its efforts to give voice to the topics of interest to emerging economies. Lula da Silva also listed social inclusion, the fight against hunger, energy transition and sustainable development as G20 priorities. He said the UN Security Council needs new developing countries as permanent, non-permanent members to regain political strength.

"We want greater representation for emerging countries at the World Bank and the IMF," he said. Brazil will take over the rotating presidency of the G20 from India on Dec. 1.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday shared a post on X welcoming da Silva, who arrived in the country for the G20 Summit. PM Modi recalled his meeting with the Brazilian President in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the recently held BRICS Summit. India will pass on the presidency of the G20 to Brazil.

“Happy to welcome President @LulaOficial to India. I had met him recently in Johannesburg and I am happy to be getting the opportunity to meet him again at the G20 Summit. His views on various subjects will be eagerly awaited,” PM Modi said. PM Modi had also held bilateral talks with Brazilian President Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in the Japanese city of Hiroshima in May earlier this year.

Accompanied by his wife Rosângela da Silva, Brazil President Lula da Silva landed in New Delhi on Friday. He was received at the airport by the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai. India and Brazil share a close and multifaceted relationship based on shared democratic values and convergence of views on many global issues, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The two countries cooperate not only bilaterally but also at plurilateral fora such as BRICS, IBSA, and G20 and in multilateral bodies such as the UN and WTO, among others. IndiaBrazil relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2006, thereby heralding a new phase in bilateral ties, it added.

India’s relationship with Brazil has continued to grow over the past decade with various high-level exchanges and got further intensified in 2019 and early 2020 with back-to-back VVIP visits.

PM Modi attended the XI BRICS Summit in Brasilia on November 13-14 in the year 2019. He also held a bilateral meeting with President Bolsonaro on the sidelines of the summit on November 13, 2019.

At the invitation of PM Modi, President Bolsonaro paid a State visit to India from January 25-27, 2020. He was also the Chief Guest at the Republic Day Parade on January 26, 2020. India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1 last year and about 200 meetings related to G20 were organized in 60 cities across the country. The 18th G20 Summit will be a culmination of all the G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year among ministers, senior officials, and civil societies.