G20 leaders paid tribute Sunday to Mahatma Gandhi at Delhi’s Raj Ghat Memorial, which is dedicated to Gandhi, who used nonviolent resistance to free India from British rule.
World leaders attending the two-day G20 summit in India this year came to a consensus Saturday on a joint declaration about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Saturday’s declaration on the conflict is much softer than the one issued at last year’s summit in Bali. Last year, the G20 condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and called for Russia to withdraw its troops. This year, the bloc’s declaration fell short of condemning Russia’s continued presence in Ukraine.
The group’s unanimous agreement on the declaration this year is a major accomplishment for India, which holds the bloc’s current presidency.
However, Oleg Nikolenko, a Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Facebook the declaration was "nothing to be proud of."
The group announced Saturday that the African Union would be its newest member. "This will strengthen the G20 and also strengthen the voice of the Global South," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The group also held an event Saturday where it announced a multinational rail and ports deal linking the Middle East and South Asia.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "Today, as we embark upon such a big connectivity initiative, we are sowing the seeds for future generations to dream bigger."
The deal seeks to connect Middle Eastern countries by train and then connect them to India by ports.
U.S. President Joe Biden said the initiative is a "real big deal" that would connect the ports of two continents and could lead to a "more stable, more prosperous and integrated Middle East." He said the deal could also open "endless opportunities" for clean energy, clean electricity and laying cable to connect communities.
Some information for this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press.
