'Focus on what unites, not divides': PM Modi to G20 Foreign Ministers

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed each delegate at the venue, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, among a host of others.

Welcoming the delegates at the meeting, PM Modi in a video message said, "We must all acknowledge that multilateralism is in crisis today."

"The architecture of global governance created after World War 2 was to serve two functions, first to prevent future wars by balancing competing interests, and second, to foster international cooperation on issues of common interest."

"The experience of the last few years—the financial crisis, climate change, pandemic, terrorism, and wars, clearly shows that global governance has failed in both its mandates. We must also admit that the tragic consequences of this failure are being faced most of all by the developing countries."

"We are most at risk today of falling back on the SDGs. Many developing countries are struggling with unsustainable debt. They are also the ones most affected by global warming caused by richer countries.

"This is why India’s G20 has tried to give a voice to the Global South. No group can claim global leadership without listening to those most affected by its decisions. We are meeting at a time of deep global divisions."

He said that it is natural that the decision of the members would be affected by global tensions, in reference to the Ukraine crisis and the deep geopolitical divisions, and added that he has "full trust in your collective wisdom and ability to rise above divisions."