India prepares capital New Delhi for G-20 summit

NEW DELHI, INDIA - SEP. 7, 2023: The upcoming summit of the Group of 20, or G-20, will bring together the leaders of the world’s richest and most influential nations in India’s capital New Delhi, marking a first for the South Asian country. The two-day summit kicks off on Sept. 9 with a raft of pressing global issues at hand – and uncertainty over whether the bloc can put up a united front. At its core, the G-20 is an intergovernmental forum primarily concerned with economic issues, comprised of the world’s 20 largest economies – 19 countries and the EU. The member states are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the UK and US. Under India’s presidency, the G-20 has focused on food and energy security, changing the international debt system, loans for developing nations from multilateral institutions and other issues like regulating cryptocurrencies. “The theme of India’s G-20 Presidency – ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘One Earth - One Family - One Future’ – is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad,” reads the official G-20 website. “Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life – human, animal, plant, and microorganisms – and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe.” With the summit just days away, security measures have been ramped up in New Delhi, including the deployment of tens of thousands of security personnel. Fighter jets, radars, anti-drone systems and surface-to-air missiles are also included in elaborate efforts to secure the skies of the capital and neighboring areas.(Footage by Amarjeet Kumar Singh /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)