'UK PM's Jai Shri Ram would have choked Lord Curzon': UK's ambassador Alex Ellis

According to him, firstly, India has established a very high standard for managing the G20 presidency and secondly, the Indian-origin Prime Minister of Britain, Rishi Sunak, chanted "Jai Shri Ram" on India's Independence Day, August 15.

"India tops all three visa categories in the UK - students, visitors, and skilled workers... Did you ever imagine one day a person staying at 10 Downing Street, on August 15, would say Jai Shri Ram? Lord Curzon would have choked," Ellis told NDTV.

Ellis said India's scale and ambition to tackle the problems of the world are huge.

"India has broken the mould on how to do the G20 presidency - the scale and ambition to tackle big problems of the world, like global hunger, low growth and poverty," he said.

Ellis emphasized that interest in India is a long-term commitment, particularly in the backdrop of the disputed global landscape highlighted by the Ukraine invasion. He believes that India will continue to hold a pivotal position in the global scenario, and finding a strategy to engage with Russia is essential.

Former US diplomat Atul Keshap added that pragmatic and forward-leaning nations, especially democratic ones like India, hold even greater significance for each other. He stressed the importance of resolving the Ukraine conflict.

"We must focus on ending human suffering... India has been exceptionally generous towards its neighbours... India and US are reacting in a very constructive and positive way to challenges," Keshap said.

Ellis pointed out the scale of the G20 Summit by highlighting that this grouping represents a major portion of the global economy, accounting for approximately 80 percent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP).