NEW DELHI: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has arrived in New Delhi, India, for the G20 Summit, which is set to take place on September 9-10 under India's Presidency. Upon her arrival at the airport, she was warmly greeted by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Shobha Karandlaje.

Meloni's visit to India marks her second trip this year, with her previous visit in March for the eighth edition of the Raisina Dialogue. During that visit, she engaged in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi, where both leaders decided to elevate the partnership between India and Italy to the status of a strategic partnership.

India and Italy share a long history of trade, spanning over 2,000 years. Political relations between the two nations were officially established in 1947. The G20 Summit is being hosted at the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan in the national capital, New Delhi. This summit marks a significant event as it's the first G20 Summit held under India's presidency since taking over the G20 presidency on December 1 of the previous year.

The Group of Twenty (G20) was founded in 1999 with the objective of ensuring global financial stability by including middle-income countries. It has since evolved into a crucial platform for international economic cooperation, playing a vital role in shaping and enhancing global governance on major international economic issues.

The G20 comprises 19 member countries, namely Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States, in addition to representation from the European Union.

The G20 member countries collectively account for more than 80% of the world's GDP, 75% of global trade, and 60% of the global population. The 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in New Delhi is the culmination of a year's worth of G20 processes and meetings involving ministers, senior officials, and civil societies.

At the conclusion of the New Delhi Summit, a G20 Leaders’ Declaration will be adopted, expressing the leaders' commitment to the priorities discussed and agreed upon during various ministerial and working group meetings. Looking ahead, Brazil is set to assume the G20 presidency in 2024, followed by South Africa in 2025.

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