G20 Summit 2023: UK PM Rishi Sunak, His Wife Arrive In India

New Delhi: UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arrived here on Friday to attend the G20 Summit being held on September 9 and 10. He is accompanied by his wife Akshata Murty.  Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ashwini Kumar Choubey received Sunak and his wife at the airport. 

A group of dancers performed a traditional Indian dance to welcome Sunak and his wife.  It is Rishi Sunak's first visit to India as Prime Minister since he assumed office in October last year. ()

Ahead of his arrival in Delhi, Rishi Sunak said that he is heading to the G20 Summit with a clear focus, which includes stabilising the global economy, building international ties and supporting the most vulnerable. ()

"I’m heading to the #G20 Summit with a clear focus. Stabilising the global economy. Building international relationships. Supporting the most vulnerable. This action is part of that – Putin again has failed to show up for the G20, but we will show up with support for Ukraine," Sunak said in a post on X. 

"At the summit, the Prime Minister will stress the importance of those who do choose to attend demonstrating their leadership, both in helping the world’s most vulnerable people to deal with the terrible consequences of Putin’s war and in addressing wider challenges like climate change and the stability of the global economy," UK Prime Minister's Office said. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Rishi Sunak on September 9 on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, sources said.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima in May this year and discussed the India-UK free trade agreement, innovation, and science along with ways to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. The two countries are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement and the talks started in 2022.

The 12th round of negotiations for the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) took place from August 8 to 31. The negotiations for the UK-India FTA were conducted in a hybrid fashion, with a number of UK officials travelling to Delhi for negotiations and others attending virtually.

In August this year, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and the UK’s Secretary of State for Trade Kemi Badenoch took stock of the FTA and agreed on ways to progress the negotiations. The 13th round of negotiations is due to take place in September.

The G20 Leader’s Summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam. Extensive preparations and arrangements have been made for the Summit being held in India for the first time.