NEW DELHI: US President Joe Biden has landed in New Delhi, India, for the G20 summit, where he aims to capitalize on the absence of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin to strengthen Washington’s global influence.
Biden received a lively Bollywood-style welcome as Air Force One touched down, featuring dancers clad in flowing purple attire dancing to American pop music.
Shortly after his arrival, Biden is expected to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he will engage with other world leaders during the summit’s discussions on the “margins,” as noted by the White House.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan commented on this unique meeting, saying, “This meeting will be taking place at the prime minister’s residence — so it is unusual in that respect. This is not your typical bilateral visit to India with meetings taking place in the prime minister’s office.”
The G20 summit seeks to address pressing global issues, including the Ukraine conflict, climate change, and global governance. However, achieving consensus among the diverse group of member nations has grown increasingly challenging in recent years.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned world leaders about the potential consequences of their disputes, emphasizing that ongoing disagreements could fuel conflicts and erode public trust. He characterized the global community as “a rather dysfunctional” one.
Prior to the summit’s commencement, questions arose regarding its significance when Chinese President Xi Jinping decided to skip the meeting and sent Premier Li Qiang as his representative. Although no official reason was given for Xi’s absence, tensions between China and India over a border dispute and other issues have played a role.
Speculations About Failure of G20 Summit
Guterres stressed that countries must take responsibility regardless of the level of representation, whether it’s the president, prime minister, or vice president. For the host, the failure of G20 leaders to agree on a joint summit statement would be a significant embarrassment.
Modi welcomed Biden on Friday evening, with the White House expressing support for India’s bid to become a permanent member of a reformed UN Security Council. Biden is also set to return to India next year for the Quad summit, a security partnership comprising Australia, Japan, the United States, and India, which China views as an effort to contain its influence in Asia.
While expansion of the G20 into the “G21” by incorporating the African Union as a permanent member is gaining support, particularly from several leaders, progress on the Ukraine issue remains elusive.
Diplomatic tensions and allegations of war crimes have kept Russian President Vladimir Putin away from the summit. However, Russia continues to exert pressure on its allies to soften international condemnation of its invasion of Ukraine, creating a significant obstacle to unified action.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak commented on Putin’s absence, stating that he was “the architect of his own diplomatic exile.” Sunak added, “The rest of the G20, meanwhile, are demonstrating that we will turn up and work together to pick up the pieces of Putin’s destruction.”
Despite concerns in the market about an escalating trade war between the world’s two largest economies, the US and China, Biden remains confident that the G20 can still “deliver.”
