New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended a warm welcome to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, upon her arrival in the national capital for the G20 Summit.

The EU President is among the prominent international leaders and delegates gathered for the high-profile summit, set to kick off at the state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday.

In response to a social media post by the EU President on platform X, Prime Minister Modi expressed his pleasure, stating, "I'm delighted to see you here in Delhi for the G20 Summit, @vonderleyen. We appreciate the support and commitment of @EU_commission. Together, we will tackle the urgent challenges before us. Anticipating productive discussions and collaborative efforts."

Ursula von der Leyen arrived in the national capital on Thursday evening and was welcomed by Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Anupriya Patel.

India and the EU share a common interest in ensuring security, prosperity, and sustainable development in a multipolar world. Both India and the EU have agreed to build upon these commonalities and cultivate new synergies to collectively contribute to a safer, greener, cleaner, more digital, resilient, and stable world, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

The EU stands as India's second-largest trading partner, following the United States, and represents India's second-largest export market. Conversely, India holds the position of the EU's 10th largest trading partner, accounting for 2% of the EU's total trade in goods. Trade in services between the EU and India reached 40 billion euros in 2021.

With India presiding over the G20, extensive preparations and arrangements have been put in place to not only showcase the nation's cultural influence but also its growing role as a prominent global player.

Established in 1999, the G20 was formed to uphold global financial stability by including middle-income countries. India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1 of the previous year, and approximately 200 meetings related to the G20 were held across 60 cities in the country. The 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi will mark the culmination of all G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year, involving ministers, senior officials, and civil society representatives.

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