With India’s G20 presidency ensuring several tangible outcomes, world leaders at the two-day summit here hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “decisive leadership” and for championing the voice of the Global South, sources said on Sunday.
The world leaders also hailed India’s hospitality and praised Prime Minister Modi for presiding over a successful summit, while noting that the country’s message of ‘one earth, one family, one future’ resonated strongly with all the delegates.
“Under India’s leadership, we have demonstrated that we can come together, at a time when it really matters. When you walk around in ‘Bharat Mandapam’ and see the displays, we can see what PM Modi, the digital initiative and technology can do –delivering service to people in remote corners of our nations,” a source quoted British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as saying at one of the meetings.
During the summit, while Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hailed Prime Minister Modi for providing “great leadership” of the G20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for strengthening G20 cooperation based on “the foundation created by the Indian presidency”, sources said.
Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked Prime Minister Modi for his hospitality and hoped that the summit will be a blessing for “the only world we have”.
Several leaders also praised the prime minister for “championing the voice of the Global South” and hailed, in a unanimous voice, the key decision to make the African Union (AU) a member of the G20, according to sources.
Hailing Modi, US President Joe Biden was quoted by a source as saying, “The African Union is a critical partner. You (Modi) are bringing us together, keeping us together, reminding us that we have the capacity to tackle challenges together.”
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, said, “Let me congratulate you (Modi) on your wisdom to bring AU to this table.”
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked Prime Minister Modi for inviting her to the summit and for “raising the voice of the Global South”.
Praising the G20 theme of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, she said it upholds the value of all lives and the importance of working together for a better future.
President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union, Azali Assoumani, also thanked India for its support to their candidacy.
While South African President Cyril Ramaphosa lauded India for its role in getting the AU admitted in the G20, Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte thanked the Indian presidency for placing the Global South at the centre of the grouping.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva thanked Prime Minister Modi and the Indian people for their competence in organising this event.
“I was touched emotionally today, when I went to pay homage to dear (Mahatma) Gandhi. In my political life, Gandhi has great meaning. Non-violence is a principle I follow,” he said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that “people will remember us for what we accomplish” and Prime Minister Modi, that “you have gathered us here to discuss on ‘One Future’ is very important”.
Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth commended India’s leadership for the “very successful outcome” in G20, and expressed his deep gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for this “exceptional opportunity”.
The Spanish representative attending the summit also commended India for its excellent leadership and hailed the “positive approach” of Prime Minister Modi.
The Mexican representative praised the “wonderful arrangement” for G20, while the Oman’s representative lauded Indian hospitality.
In a post on X, First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF Gita Gopinath, who met Prime Minister Modi at the G20 dinner, said, “Congratulations Prime Minister @narendramodi on presiding over such a successful @g20org. India’s message of ‘one earth, one family, one future’ resonated strongly with all delegates.”
Speaking with reporters after the summit, World Bank Chief Ajay Banga said, “I compliment India and its leadership as also all G20 leaders for making sure that such a terrific declaration was achieved.”