Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Italy later this month for the annual G20 summit. The G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will be held in Rome on October 30th and 31st. This will be 3rd foreign visit of PM Modi amid the COVID pandemic, after Bangladesh in March, the US in September. While it is unlikely that he will visit any other country during his Italy visit, when it comes to COP26 or Glasgow climate meet, no call has been made yet by New Delhi.
The summit naturally will see many bilaterals on the sidelines. The 2019 Osaka summit in Japan saw bilateral between PM Modi and former US President Trump. G20 has been an occasion for the JAI meeting--Japan America and India leaders meet and RIC--Russia, India, and China leaders meet. The BRICS leaders have also been meeting on the sidelines of the grouping's annual meet.
Meanwhile, reports have suggested both the Chinese President Xi Jinping and new Japanese PM Kishida might not attend the G20 meet in Italy. While no reason is known for the Chinese President, when it comes to Japan, it is due to the parliamentary election that is to take place on Oct. 31. That also means, no meeting of JAI or RIC will happen.
Rome summit will be the 16th G20 summit. Last year the summit (under Saudi Leadership) happened virtually, because of the COVID crisis. India will be hosting the G20 in 2023, for the first time with preparations underway especially with the building of the state-of-the-art venues in Delhi.
G20 was formed during the 2008 global economic crisis, with the first summit taking place in November 2008. Since then, the group has taken a political role as well, discussing pressing global issues. Italy as the host will hold a virtual G20 meet on Afghanistan on 12th October. The grouping that has 20 of the biggest economies account for a major portion of the global economy, 80% trade, 2/3rd of population, and half of the world's land area.
