27 June 2019

Modi attends G20 Summit, Osaka



Modi attends G20 Summit, Osaka

From June 27-28, 2019, Prime Minister Modi attended the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan. Over the course of the summit, Mr. Modi attended 9 bilateral meetings with Japan, the US, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Germany, Indonesia, Brazil, Turkey and Australia; 8 ‘sideline’ meetings with Thailand, Vietnam, the World Bank, the UNSG, France, Italy, Singapore and Chile; 2 tri-state meetings with Japan-US-India and Russia-India-China; one multilateral meeting with BRICS; and 4 G20 sessions and a community event.

At the Japan-US-India meeting, Mr. Modi, Mr. Trump and Mr. Abe discussed the importance of an open, stable and rules-based environment in the Indo-Pacific. They also spoke about how the three states can improve connectivity, develop infrastructure and maintain peace and security. Mr. Trump also referenced trade deals in manufacturing and 5G between India and the US.

Mr. Modi met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and discussed how they can increase Indo-German relations and improve cooperation in artificial intelligence and cyber security.

At the Russia-India-China meeting, Mr. Modi highlighted the need for counterterrorism initiatives. He brought up his suggestion for an international conference to discuss ways to combat terrorism – Mr. Modi believes China and Russia would support the creation of this conference. The leaders also emphasized the importance of transparent, open, and inclusive international trade with the WTO at the centre.

Mr. Modi also had bilateral meetings with the leaders of Indonesia, Brazil, Turkey, Australia, Singapore and Chile. These meetings included discussions on various issues such as trade, counter-terrorism, defence, maritime security and sports.

To the G20 leaders, Mr. Modi presented his “5-I” vision to highlight digital technology for social benefit. The 5 ‘I’s include: inclusiveness; indigenisation; innovation; investment in infrastructure; and international cooperation.

The G20 leaders also re-emphasized India’s focus on counterterrorism though their joint statement at the end of the summit: “Here in Osaka, we reaffirm our commitment to act to protect our people from terrorist and Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism (VECT) exploitation of the internet.”