PM Modi leaves for Argentina to attend G-20 summit

New Delhi, Nov 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Argentina to take part in the 13th G-20 summit. The theme of the summit is - Building Consensus for a Fair and Sustainable Development.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said that Prime Minister will make a lead intervention in the first session of the summit titled - Putting People First. Issues pertaining to risks posed by oil price volatility, flagship programs including Skill India, Digital India and GST among others will be on focus during the intervention of the Prime Minister.

During the summit, Prime minister will make the pitch for other countries which are not between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn to join the International Solar Alliance. The G-20 is also expected to discuss reforms of multilateral trading institutions particularly the WTO.

On the sidelines of the summit, the Prime Minister will hold meetings with several world leaders including Chinese President, German Chancellor , Spanish Prime Minister, UN Secretary-General. The BRICS head of states and governments will also meet in Buenos Aires on the sidelines of the summit.

In a pre-departure statement, Prime Minister Modi said that during the G20 summit, India will highlight the need for reformed multilateralism which reflects the contemporary realities and can effectively strengthen collective action for global good. He said that there is also a serious need to strengthen international cooperation and enhance coordinated action against fugitive economic offenders and the financing of terrorism.

The Prime Minister said, emerging economies, which played a major role in revitalizing the growth in the global economy pursuant to the financial crisis are today facing unprecedented economic and technological challenges.