Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a “fundamental shift in thinking for the good of all humanity” as India takes over the presidency of the G20, a forum for the world’s largest economy. PM Modi said India’s one-year G20 presidency would be “inclusive, ambitious, decisive and action-oriented”.

Today, India took over the G20 presidency focusing on counter-terrorism and “unity” to tackle global challenges such as the economic slowdown and climate crisis.

The government seeks consensus on creating disaster-resistant and climate-resilient infrastructure and debt sustainability. India’s G20 initiative also focuses on start-ups and bridging the digital divide.

Next year, India will host as many as 200 conferences across the country, with the first being held in Udaipur later this week. The G20 summit will be held in New Delhi in September 2023.

Today, 100 monuments across the country, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites, will be illuminated with the G20 logo for a week.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the logo and theme for India’s G20 presidency. The logo depicts a lotus flower and a globe. At the same time, the theme of India’s G20 presidency is “One Earth, One Family, One Future”, emphasising its commitment to ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The World is One Family).

India was handed over to the influential group’s rotating presidency at the closing ceremony of the last G20 Bali summit, hosted by Indonesia on November 15-16.

The G20, or Group of 20 Countries, is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies.

The group includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the EU.

Member countries account for approximately 85% of global GDP, more than 75% of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world’s population.