One of the top leaders of an Indian political party said on Friday that the government will hold an all-party meeting in Delhi on December 5 to brief prominent politicians on preparations for next year's G20 summit.
According to the politician, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has invited the leaders of over 40 parties to the conference, which would also include Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PTI quotes unnamed sources as saying that India's Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, would also be present at the Rashtrapati Bhavan meeting. Starting on December 1, India will formally lead the G20.
The G20 summit for leaders of state and government is set for September 9 and 10 in New Delhi. Different locations around the nation will play host to multiple G20 gatherings.
Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal and head of the Trinamool Congress, said on Thursday that she will go to the national capital on December 5 to attend a meeting organised by the government to discuss G20 Summit preparations.
Ms. Banerjee, on the other hand, clarified that she would be attending the meeting as chairwoman of the Trinamool Congress and not in her official function as Chief Minister of West Bengal.
Prime Minister Modi described India's assumption of the G20 presidency from Indonesia earlier this month as a source of national pride.
Also, READ: 26/11 Mumbai attack: Meet Sandra Samuel, brave nanny who saved two-year-old Moshe
The Group of Twenty (or G20) is an international forum for the world's leading industrialised and emerging nations to discuss economic and financial issues.
It is made up of the following countries and regions: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union (EU).
(With inputs from PTI)
