G20 Foreign Ministers meeting under India’s G20 presidency will be held on Thursday, March 2 in New Delhi. This will be the second ministerial meeting held under India’s presidency. Briefing the media about the meeting in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra informed that 40 delegations are expected to participate in the meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Center. He added that thirty international organisations will participate in the meeting.
It will be one of largest gathering of foreign ministers to be hosted by any G20 presidency: FS Kwatra on G20 foreign ministers' meet
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 1, 2023
In the absence of the Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Foreign Secretary stated that India and Japan have a strong working relationship when it comes to G20 debates and deliberations, and India highly cherishes Japan’s involvement. The Japanese Foreign Minister, he said, won’t be able to go due to obligations at home, India is looking forward to very active participation and support in consultation with the Japanese delegation that is coming.
The Foreign Secretary stated that the External Affairs Minister has already been meeting many of his counterparts since yesterday when asked if Dr. Jaishankar will meet his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang. The Minister will make an effort to meet as many counterparts as possible, he claimed.
In response to a question, the foreign secretary stated that given the evolving Russia-Ukraine scenario, it would undoubtedly be a crucial topic of discussion at the meeting of foreign ministers. The summit will also be centred on topics related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine’s effects on the world, particularly its effects on the economy and development, he noted.
A gala dinner is being hosted this evening for the visiting dignitaries. Foreign ministers of participating nations including Brazil, Mauritius, Turkiye, Australia, Nigeria, and Mexico have arrived in New Delhi to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting.
Tomorrow’s event will have two sessions that will be presided over by Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar. Multilateralism and challenges relating to food and energy will be the main topics of the first session, while counterterrorism and drug trafficking will be the main topics of the second session, along with a focus on global talent pools and new and emerging dangers.