Loved In India, Roasted In UK: Rishi Sunak Slammed By MPs After G20 Summit

While UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hogged a lot of limelight in the Indian media during his visit to Delhi for the G20 Summit, he has been criticised by MPs in the House of Commons for not taking a tougher stand against Russia in the G20 Leaders' declaration and from not being part of India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor.

He was also asked whether he had taken up Scottish Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal's issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India's decision to buy oil from Russia.

Leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer described the joint declaration from the weekend as "disappointing" with "weaker language than last year's summit". Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord asked if Sunak shared Canada PM Justin Trudeau's view that if it were up to him the language would have been stronger.

The leader of the opposition, Sir Keir Starmer, expressed his disappointment with the joint declaration from the weekend, noting that it featured weaker language compared to last year's summit. Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord inquired whether Sunak shared the perspective of Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, who had suggested that, given the choice, he would have preferred stronger language in the declaration.

"Because this is not the G7 or, indeed, the G1, it is not for us just to take the language that we ourselves would like," Sunak said. "Our position on Ukraine is crystal clear for all to see, but the G20 is a collection of a large group of countries that do not all share the same perspective on global affairs or, indeed, the same values. To assume that it can reflect the unanimity that we have in the G7 is to misunderstand how foreign affairs works."

Conservative MP Rehman Chishti highlighted that India was among the "44 non-aligned states that did not endorse sanctions against Russia, contributing to the delay in resolving the conflict in Ukraine." Chishti also raised concerns about India's import of Russian oil, suggesting that it might refine this oil and sell the resulting products to Europe, effectively bypassing the sanctions. He then posed a question to the Prime Minister: "Did the Prime Minister discuss these matters with PM Modi?"

In response, Sunak stated, "We urge all countries to follow our lead, and the lead of others, in sanctioning Russia. Obviously, each country will approach that in its own way."

Labour MP Barry Sheerman wondered whether the UK Prime Minister had asked his Indian counterpart why he had not condemned Russia over the Ukraine issue.

"Did he ask what Modi is doing to stop all the persecution of Muslims and Christians, with their mosques and churches being burnt," he added. Sunak replied: "The prime minister and I discussed a range of issues."

Regarding the UK not being part of the economic corridor aimed at countering China's Belt and Road Initiative, Sunak clarified that this agreement had not been signed by Canada, Japan, or Italy either. He further mentioned that he had discussed the Johal case with Prime Minister Modi.