New Delhi:

The G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration “confirms the isolation of Russia” and a “vast majority of G20 countries have condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine”, French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday afternoon, a day after G20 leaders released a “100 per cent unanimous declaration” that was light on mention of the war in Ukraine and had no reference to Moscow’s role in the conflict.

A tad more direct while addressing reporters today, Mr Macron told reporters “Russia is still waging its war” and then reaffirmed the text of Saturday’s declaration, which spoke about upholding principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and called on all states to “refrain from the threat, or use, of force to seek territorial acquisition. “The G20 is committed to just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” he declared.

Mr Macron also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “words of peace”.

The New Delhi Declaration’s discreet critique of Russia for its war on Ukraine was seen as a major climbdown from the G20’s position last year, when global leaders cited a United Nations resolution to condemn in “… strongest terms… aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine”.

This year – consensus over which was delayed due to differences between the West and Russia-China over the war – the group acknowledged the war’s impact but said “the G20 is not the platform to resolve geopolitical and security issues… (which) can have significant consequences for the global economy”.

READ | G20 Decries “Use Of Force” In Ukraine Without Naming Russia

That sentiment – that the G20 is not a forum for global security issues – was referred to by Mr Macron again; he said, “The G20 is not a forum for political discussions. We are here to talk about economic topics and the climate (crisis). G20 should not get stuck in other things… the UN charter is there.”

Disagreements over the wording of the Delhi Declaration were underlined Saturday after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, attending in place of President Vladimir Putin, said his country had been prepared to block any declaration that does not reflect its views on the Ukraine war.

READ |“Negotiated With Russia, China, Only Last Night…”: G20 Sherpa On Consensus

The West, meanwhile, had initially hardened its stance, insisting on stronger language.

India had argued that the G20, while it could condemn suffering caused by the war – could do no more as is “a premier forum for economic cooperation” and not to resolve geopolitical and security issues.

Speaking at his press conference today, Mr Lavrov claimed victory for Russia as it had been “able to prevent the West’s attempts to ‘Ukrainize’ the summit agenda. “The text doesn’t mention Russia at all.”

He slammed “Anglo-Saxons” and NATO for their “aggressive policy” and for the prolonged war in Ukraine, which Russia launched in February last year and calls a “special military operation”.

France’s Praise For India’s G20 Negotiators

On Saturday, French diplomatic officials told NDTV of the high regard they had for India’s negotiators, including sherpa Amitabh Kant, who led the more than 200 rounds of talks that yielded the declaration.

READ | France Says Not Many In Position To Negotiate As India: Sources On G20

A French source said India had assumed “a kind of power… ability to bring countries together” and that there are not many nations in the world today that can bring warring parties to a common table.

“This is something important,” the source stressed.

New Delhi:

Marking the ceremonial transfer of the G20 presidency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday handed over the gavel to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva who hailed India for giving voice to topics of interests of emerging economies.

At the concluding session, PM Modi handed over the gavel and offered best wishes to Brazil for the presidency. Brazil officially will take over the mantle of the presidency of the elite grouping on December 1 this year.

Speaking on the occasion, Lula da Silva congratulated Modi and thanked India for its efforts to give voice to the topics of interest to emerging economies.

Lula da Silva also listed social inclusion, the fight against hunger, energy transition and sustainable development as G20 priorities.

He said the UN Security Council needs new developing countries as permanent, non-permanent members to regain political strength.

“We want greater representation for emerging countries at the World Bank and the IMF,” he said. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made a fresh push for reforms in global bodies including the United Nations, saying despite the increase in member states of the world body, the number of permanent members in the UN Security Council has remained the same. 

Addressing the “One Future” session of the G20 Summit, the prime minister said the world’s ‘new realities’ should be reflected in ‘new global structure’.

He said the world was different when the UN was founded with 51 members. Now the number of member states has risen to nearly 200, Modi said.

It is nature’s law, PM Modi said, that those who don’t change with times lose their relevance.

He also said that crypto currency was a new subject for social order, monetary and financial stability and sought global standards to regulate it. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

PM Narendra Modi welcomed leaders from across the globe as the landmark G20 Summit began today in New Delhi. The heads of states and representatives of nations arrived at the Bharat Mandapam where they shared laughs and handshakes with PM Modi.

Here is a look at some of the candid moments from Day 1 of the global summit.

PM Modi greets UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Bharat Mandapam. The Indian-origin leader has said his visit to New Delhi for the G20 Summit is “obviously special” as he joked about being referred to as the “son-in-law of India”.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and PM Modi were seen sharing a laugh after she arrived at the Bharat Mandapam.

PM Modi explains the significance of the Konark Wheel to US President Joe Biden after receiving him at the summit venue.

US president Joe Biden and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov captured in the same frame. Relations between the two nations have been frosty since Russia’s war with Ukraine and its growing closeness with China in Asia.

PM Modi hugs African Union chief Azali Assoumani as he invites the nation group to join the Group of 20. The prime minister had proposed the inclusion of the union in June.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden seen chatting before the summit began.

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva shares a light moment with PM Modi at the G20 venue.

A record stock-market valuation and surging foreign inflows make for a great backdrop as Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks to tout India’s growing prominence to world leaders at this weekend’s Group of 20 summit in New Delhi.

Boosted by one of the world’s fastest growing economies, solid corporate earnings and an unprecedented retail investing boom, India’s equity benchmark is also approaching an all-time high.

The milestones are a stark contrast to many emerging-market peers, not least to neighbouring China, whose economic woes and struggling financial markets have become a source of frustration for global investors. In fact, troubles at its biggest EM rival have only burnished India’s appeal. Developing-market money managers are now most overweight on India in their Asia portfolios as a “safe place to hide,” while China ranks among their largest underweights, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analysts wrote in a report earlier this month.

“Strong domestic growth prospects, ongoing policy reforms as well as robust credit growth are tailwinds contributing to the outperformance of Indian equities,” said Audrey Goh, investment strategist at Standard Chartered Bank SG Ltd. “The shift to a multi-polar world would also likely benefit India,” with the government moving to make doing business in India more attractive.

India’s stock market hit an all-time high valuation of $3.8 trillion this week, a perfectly timed billboard for PM Modi as the G-20 summit gives him another opportunity to showcase the nation’s potential as a geopolitical juggernaut. With the West looking to curb China’s influence, PM Modi has rolled out a mix of tariffs and incentives to lure companies to make in India and firms including Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. are among those expanding production in the nation.

Foreign investors have bought more than $16 billion worth of Indian stocks on a net basis so far in 2023, set to be the biggest inflow in three years. The nation stood out in August, when overseas funds sold shares in almost every other Asian emerging market amid a global selloff. Onshore Chinese stocks saw a record outflow last month as Beijing’s attempts to restore market confidence fell flat with investors amid persistent worries over a property crisis.

“My favorite market in Asia remains India,” Chris Wood, the global head of equity strategy at Jefferies LLC, said in a Bloomberg Television interview this week. Wood described India as the “market I want to be in Asia for the next 10 years,” foreseeing strong growth in corporate earnings led by a rejuvenating private investment and real estate cycle.

Having nearly tripled its value since the pandemic low for global equities in March 2020, India is now the world’s fifth-largest stock market, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The US has seen its market capitalization about double in the period.

Milan-based Generali Investments is bullish on India for its economic growth and earnings outlook, according to Michele Morganti, the firm’s senior equity strategist. Generali reduced its overweight on China last month as policymakers opt for limited measures to help companies and boost sentiment over an all-out stimulus plan, he said.

To be sure, there are several risks on the horizon for India.

Resurgent crude oil prices threaten to worsen inflation dynamics for the central bank, which is already troubled by a surge in prices of everyday items from tomatoes to onions. Rupee meanwhile is hovering near a record low.

Investors have to navigate a general election in April-May that some strategists say has the potential to swing markets. In the longer term, market watchers will also closely scrutinize India’s ability to build fast and adequate infrastructure, lift education standards and create enough jobs for a burgeoning young population amid a rising threat from the increased use of artificial intelligence.

Aperture Investors ranks among the holdouts that aren’t boosting exposure. India needs years of improvements in its infrastructure and private-sector buildout before it can replace China in portfolios, said Peter Marber, the New York-based head of emerging markets at the firm.

“Just because financial investors are retreating from Chinese stocks and bonds doesn’t lead to a complete shift to India,” Marber said. “There aren’t nearly the number of investable companies and assets in India versus in China.”

For now though, markets are looking at the positives. The NSE Nifty 50 Index has jumped almost 6% in dollar terms over the past three months, beating the broader MSCI Emerging Markets Index by more than 7 percentage points.

India is one of the biggest equity overweights at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, which also expects countries including Indonesia, Mexico and Poland to benefit from the near-shoring boom as the US relocates supply chains away from China. The money manager is also bullish on Indian local-currency government bonds and dollar corporate debt as well as the rupee.

“On a relative basis, India could be the biggest winner,” said Gordon Bowers, a London-based analyst at the firm.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

PM Modi, President Biden welcome progress in defence ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday welcomed the completion of the notification process in the U.S. Congress on August 29 for a commercial agreement between General Electric Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) to manufacture GE F-414 jet engines in India and the commencement of the negotiations. The leaders lauded the settlement of the seventh and last outstanding World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute between the two countries.

Ukraine war unlikely to end in immediate future: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

Efforts to build a peaceful world are faltering and the Ukraine conflict is unlikely to end in the immediate future, said Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres here on Friday. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the G-20 summit that will begin here on Saturday, Mr. Guterres laid out the concerns of the UN and said the world cannot “go on like this” and spoke forcefully seeking change of the global multilateral institutions. He also appreciated India for placing the “development agenda at the centre” of G-20.

New Delhi declaration ‘almost ready’, says India’s G-20 Sherpa, as Ukraine para remains sticking point

The joint declaration is “almost ready”, said India’s G-20 ‘Sherpa’ Amitabh Kant, indicating that the Sherpas or leaders’ representatives for G-20 countries will now hand over the document to G-20 leaders who begin their summit on September 9 in an effort to close the gaps, mainly over the paragraph on Ukraine. Mr. Kant also downplayed issues with China during the negotiations, and said that while all countries have a “veto power” over the joint statement to be issued, India had been able to bring “every single country” on board with its priorities.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang lands in India facing first international test

Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in New Delhi on Friday evening for the G-20 summit, which will, for the relatively unknown second-ranked Chinese leader, mark a first major international diplomatic test. Mr. Li earlier this week attended the East Asia Summit in Jakarta, but the G-20 will pose its own challenges with its higher profile and the presence of Western leaders who have been sharply critical of China, especially for its stand on the Ukraine crisis, a major sticking point that threatens to derail a joint communique for the first time in G-20 history.

We have a lot to bring to G-20 table, says African Union chief Azali Assoumani

The African Union (AU) is confident of becoming a full member of G-20 during the Delhi summit beginning in New Delhi on September 9, said AU Chairperson Azali Assoumani. In an exclusive interview with The Hindu, Mr. Assoumani, who is also the President of Comoros, said member countries of G-20 should invest in industrialisation of Africa. Assuring the members that Africa is willing to do what it takes to deal with the immigration issue being faced by the European countries, he urged the G-20 economies to utilise African resources to manufacture products in Africa. 

Criminal trials ideally need dynamic judges not taciturn ones, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court said criminal trials ideally need active and dynamic judges rather than reticent or taciturn ones. “Reticence may be good in many circumstances, but a judge remaining mute during trial is not an ideal situation. A taciturn judge may be the model caricatured in public mind. But there is nothing wrong in his becoming active or dynamic during trial so that criminal justice being the end could be achieved,” a three-judge Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai, J.B. Pardiwala and P.K. Mishra highlighted.

India committed to Global South, says PM Modi after talks with Mauritian leader

In his first bilateral meeting ahead of the G20 summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held talks with his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth in New Delhi and reiterated India’s commitment to furthering the voice of the Global South. “PM @KumarJugnauth and I had a very good meeting. This is a special year for India-Mauritius relations as we mark 75 years of diplomatic ties between our nations. We discussed cooperation in sectors like infrastructure, FinTech, culture and more. Also reiterated India’s commitment to furthering the voice of the Global South,” Mr. Modi said on X.

Six Opposition CMs may skip G-20 dinner hosted by President

The G-20 dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu is expected to have a thin attendance of Opposition leaders as Chief Ministers of at least six out of the 12 Opposition-ruled States are likely to skip the event for various reasons. The two former Prime Ministers, Manmohan Singh and H.D. Deve Gowda, also won’t be attending the dinner, citing poor health. According to sources, out of four Congress Chief Ministers, three — Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan, Siddaramaiah of Karnataka and Bhupesh Baghel of Chhattisgarh — are not heading for Delhi. Mr. Gehlot, it is learnt, is still nursing his fractured toes and has restricted travel. Mr. Baghel too has said that he is not well enough to travel to the capital. Mr. Siddaramaiah has given similar reasons.

Unions allege ‘scam in import of fuel for power plants’

Trade unions in the power sector have alleged that recent directions and statements of the Centre related to the import of coal for thermal power generation are contradictory, misguiding, deceitful and against the interest of the energy consumers, people and the nation. All India Coal Workers’ Federation (AICWF) and Electricity Employees Federation of India (EEFI), the two federations comprised of several unions in power and coal mining sectors, said on Friday that these moves favour one or two private companies. The federations are also mulling legal action against the Centre’s decision. 

PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina hold talks on diversifying India-Bangladesh cooperation

A day before the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 8 held talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on diversifying bilateral cooperation and discussed issues such as connectivity and commercial linkages. In a post on his second bilateral of the day after holding talks with Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, Mr. Modi said he had “productive deliberations” with PM Sheikh Hasina. “The progress in India-Bangladesh relations in the last 9 years has been very gladdening. Our talks covered areas like connectivity, commercial linkage and more,” Mr. Modi said.

India ‘very important’, but it is for members to decide on its UNSC membership, says Antonio Guterres

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on September 8 described India as “the country of the world” and a “very important” partner in the multilateral system but said it is for the members and not him to decide on its UN Security Council membership. Addressing a press conference here ahead of the G20 Summit, he made a strong pitch for immediate reforms to UNSC and other multilateral institutions, as he asserted that the future of the world is multipolar but “our multilateral institutions reflect a bygone age”.

INDIA wins four seats, BJP three in Assembly bypolls

In the first set of bypolls to be held after the formation of the INDIA bloc of Opposition parties, held in seven seats in six States, the BJP won three seats, with the Opposition constituents of the INDIA bloc bagging four seats, including the crucial Ghosi Assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh which was won by the Samajwadi Party (SP).

Gyanvapi survey: ASI granted further four weeks’ time to submit report

A Varanasi court on Friday granted four more weeks to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to complete the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex and submit its report. The order for the extension of ASI survey deadline was announced by district Judge A. K. Vishvesh. “….one of the important question and the issue remains which has to be decided by this Court that what was the religious character of the Gyanvyapi precincts dated on 15th August, 1947 as Muslims were claiming there right also. Whatever will be seen/found and existing Hindu sign/symbols will determines the fate of the Original suit. In the light of above prayer this interlocutory application liable to be allowed,” the court noted.

Nancy Pelosi says she’ll seek House reelection in 2024, dismissing talk of retirement at age 83

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on September 8 that she will run for reelection to another term in Congress as Democrats work to win back the majority in 2024. Ms. Pelosi made the announcement before labor allies in the San Francisco area district she has represented for more than 35 years. “Now more than ever our City needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery,” Ms. Pelosi, 83, said in a tweet. “Our country needs America to show the world that our flag is still there, with liberty and justice for ALL. That is why I am running for reelection — and respectfully ask for your vote.”

Will hold free, inclusive and credible election: Bangladesh Minister

Bangladesh will hold a “free, inclusive and credible election”, assured Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen here on Friday. Speaking at the end of a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Mr. Momen said the upcoming election would not be held under a caretaker government and said the two Prime Ministers discussed “regional peace and stability”. Sharing details about the meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India had welcomed “Indo-Pacific outlook” of Bangladesh that the Sheikh Hasina government introduced earlier this year.

U.S. Open | Bopanna creates history as the oldest doubles finalist in Open Era

India’s doubles ace Rohan Bopanna, who is playing some of the best tennis of his career, became the oldest Grand Slam doubles finalist in the Open Era as he, partnering Matthew Ebden, reached the U.S. Open final. Producing outstanding tennis at the Flushing Meadows in front of a handsome Louis Armstrong crowd, Bopanna and Ebden defeated Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut in Thursday’s semifinals to set a summit clash against Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury.

Stokes, Buttler help England post 291-6 against New Zealand in first match of ODI series

Ben Stokes marked his return to one-day internationals with a half-century before captain Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone put on a rapid stand of 77 late in the innings to help push England to 291-6 against New Zealand in the first match of the Cricket World Cup warmup series on Friday. Stokes (52) opted to come out of ODI retirement ahead of England’s World Cup title defense in India starting next month and was one of four batters to post fifties on a tough track at Sophia Gardens.

Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director and Chairman of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), arrived in the national capital on Thursday to attend the much-anticipated G20 Summit. On arrival, she received a warm welcome at the New Delhi airport and was greeted by a vibrant cultural dance performance. 

A cultural team showcased a traditional folk dance on a Sambalpuri song in order to welcome the IMF chief to the country. In return, Ms Georgieva showed her appreciation by applauding their performance and also by attempting a few dance steps herself. 

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan shared a video on Twitter showing Ms Georgieva shaking a leg and joining in the Sambalpuri artists. “Difficult to resist #Sambalpuri beats. MD International Monetary Fund Ms. @KGeorgieva arrives in India for #G20 summit to a #Sambalpuri song and dance welcome . #OdiaPride” he wrote in the caption. 

Watch the video below: 

Difficult to resist #Sambalpuri beats .

MD International Monetary Fund Ms. @KGeorgieva arrives in India for #G20 summit to a #Sambalpuri song and dance welcome . #OdiaPridepic.twitter.com/4tx0nmhUfK

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) September 8, 2023

Shared just a few hours ago, the video has already accumulated more than 19,000 views and thousands of likes. “Absolutely wonderful, Proud moment for Odias,” wrote one user in the comment section. “This is the strength of our culture and music,” said another. 

“Superb display of Bhartiya Culture and Music and Dance,” wrote a third user. “How beautiful video! Though she is in great position but didn’t let Die Child in her. kudos to her. Such a warming,” added another. 

Also Read | G20 Summit: Full List Of Leaders Attending Meet, And Those Opting Out

Notably, the G20 Summit will begin in New Delhi tomorrow. The mega event will take place at the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan. 

Some of the world’s most powerful and influential leaders, including US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and other heads of state, will witness discussion on issues ailing the world. The Summit will also see the participation of top administrators from international organisations such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank.
 

Moscow:

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not planning to make a video address at the upcoming G20 summit in New Delhi this weekend, the Kremlin said Thursday.

The meeting comes amid fraught relations between Moscow and the West over the conflict in Ukraine, which caused deep tensions at last year’s summit in Bali.

Asked whether Putin would make a separate video address, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “No, there are no plans.”

He said “all the work” would be led by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is leading Russia’s delegation.

Sergei Lavrov also represented Russia at August’s BRICS meeting in Johannesburg, following a row over whether South Africa would be forced to arrest President Putin under an International Criminal Court warrant.

In the end, Vladimir Putin made an address by video-link, in which he blamed the West for the conflict in Ukraine.

President Putin’s invitations to international summits has angered some Western nations, which have sought to cast him as a pariah over Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.

Deep disagreements over the conflict, the phasing out of fossil fuels and debt restructuring will likely hamper any agreements being made at the two-day meeting in New Delhi.

China’s Xi Jinping, president of the world’s second-largest economy, will also miss the meeting, at a time of tensions with the United States and India, with which it shares a disputed border.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

For two and a half decades, it has been a top and consistent goal for the United States across very different presidencies — encouraging the rise of India. As New Delhi takes the global stage by leading the Group of 20 summit, President Joe Biden will be there as a cheerleader, even as US policymakers come to accept that India’s interests will at times be at odds with Washington’s.

The gathering comes the same year that India topped China as the most populous nation and surpassed its former colonizer Britain as the fifth-largest economy, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being feted on visits to Washington, Paris and elsewhere.

“I think in some ways, Prime Minister Modi has wanted to make it India’s coming-out party to the world — as a major power, with its own independent voice, whose time has come,” Tanvi Madan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said of this weekend’s G20 summit.

The United States has viewed the fellow democracy as a natural ally that can rival an autocratic and increasingly assertive China, which has clashed with India on their disputed border.

But India has stood firm against another US priority by refusing to isolate Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, a nod to its historic ties with Moscow. Heading into the G20, India has sought to play down geopolitics and seek consensus on development issues such as debt relief and climate change.

Bridge between West and South

Alyssa Ayres, who helped build relations with New Delhi as a State Department official, said it should come as no surprise that India, a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War, remains “fiercely independent.”

She said that India saw no contradiction as it seeks “ties with all across the board.”

“It’s a mark of how India sees its leadership role that it has explicitly focused its G20 presidency on bridging concerns of the world’s largest economies with those of the Global South,” said Ayres, now dean of George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.

The Biden administration has repeatedly saluted PM Modi’s leadership and said it will work with India to achieve success at the G20, including on reforming international economic institutions.

Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor, has said the United States also wants to show that the G20 can deliver — boosting the role of the US-backed group representing some 85 percent of global GDP at a time that the BRICS club of emerging economies, which includes India but has been championed largely by China, is expanding.

Aparna Pande, a South Asia expert at the Hudson Institute, said that India, in its quest to boost its own global role, has always favored a multipolar world rather than one dominated by a single power.

Despite its differences with the United States, India still offers a strong partner at a time that China is wooing developing countries, she said.

“India’s strong ties to the Global South — the former developing and non-aligned world — make India the ideal bridge for the US and its allies,” she said.

Agreeing to disagree on Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are both skipping the G20, an absence Biden is sure to use to his advantage.

Xi may have faced a frosty, sidelined reception in New Delhi. While India has not joined sanctions on Russia, Putin’s presence would have proven a major distraction as he is shunned by the West and faces an international arrest warrant.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, the United States was “very concerned” about India’s position but has “grudgingly accepted it,” said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the nonpartisan Wilson Center think tank.

“I think that Washington may even see India’s position as one that could have advantages for the US if there is a desire down the road to try to push for some type of mediated, negotiated end to the war,” Kugelman said.

Kugelman added he believed the Biden administration was “quietly concerned” about domestic developments inside India but has decided it is best to “stay quiet.”

The administration has decided that “if the US were to start flagging the rights and democracy issue, that would risk imperiling a relationship that is much too important for the US to lose,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Opposition’s Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge during a press conference after the bloc leaders meeting, in Mumbai on Friday
| Photo Credit: ANI

Mallikarjun Kharge calls meeting of INDIA bloc floor leaders on September 5 ahead of Parliament’s Special Session

Ahead of the Special Session of Parliament, floor leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc will meet on September 5 at Congress president and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s official residence at Rajaji Marg.

Campaigning ends for byelections to seven Assembly constituencies

Campaigning came to an end on Sunday for the bypolls to be held on September 5 in seven Assembly constituencies spread over six States. Bypolls would be held in Assembly constituencies of Dhupguri in West Bengal, Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, Puthupally in Kerala, Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh, Dhanpur and Boxanagar in Tripura and Dumri in Jharkhand.

Election Commission to visit Bhopal on September 4 to inspect poll measures

The Election Commission will visit Bhopal from September 4 to 6 as it gears up to hold assembly polls in five States, including Madhya Pradesh. The commission, comprising Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, has already been to Chhattisgarh and Mizoram to take stock of poll preparedness there.

Congress to hold yatras at district level to commemorate one year of Bharat Jodo Yatra on September 7

To mark the first anniversary of the Kanniyakumari-to-Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra on September 7, all district units of the Congress party will hold padayatras in their respective areas. A circular from the party’s general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal to all party units read: “To commemorate the first anniversary of this historic Bharat Jodo Yatra, on the remarkable day of 7th September 2023, as per the directions of the Hon’ble Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge ji, the party has decided to organize ‘Bharat Jodo Padyatra’ from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm at all districts.”

Ethnic cleansing complete in Imphal Valley, says Chidambaram

Former Union Minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Sunday accused the BJP government in Manipur of resorting to “ethnic cleansing” in the Imphal Valley and said nothing could be more “shameful” than this development. Mr. Chidambaram cited The Hindu report about the remaining five Kuki families in Imphal being “forcibly removed” from their homes by the authorities.

Shivpal Singh Yadav will join the BJP: Om Prakash Rajbhar

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar on Sunday claimed that Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav will join the ruling BJP before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and added a “Maharashtra-like political situation may emerge in U.P.”, hinting at a mass crossover to the BJP from the SP.

Bangladesh gears up to host Russia’s Lavrov and French President Macron as Sheikh Hasina plans G-20 participation

The first fortnight of September is appearing hectic in Dhaka’s diplomatic calendar with multiple high-profile visits and agreements that are being scheduled. The series is expected to start with the arrival of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Dhaka on September 7. This will be followed by the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron on September 11. The two visits are unique as a French President is visiting Dhaka after nearly 33 years and Mr. Lavrov is the first Foreign Minister of Moscow to visit Bangladesh in its history. In between, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is due to arrive in New Delhi in the afternoon of September 8 and participate in the G-20 meetings where Bangladesh is among the “guest countries”.

Iran sentences two women journalists to jail time

Two female Iranian journalists will spend around a month behind bars as part of a three-year partly suspended prison sentence for “conspiracy” and “collusion”, local media reported on Sunday. Under the sentence, Negin Bagheri and Elnaz Mohammadi will serve one-fortieth of the term, or less than a month, in prison, their lawyer Amir Raisian told the reformist Ham Mihan daily newspaper, where Mohammadi works.

At least 25 civilians killed in 48 hours in Sudan: activists, medic

Five civilians were killed by bombs that “fell on their homes” in Khartoum, a Sudanese medical source told AFP, a day after an air strike in the city’s south killed at least 20 civilians. Residents of the war-torn capital reported the city was again pummelled by artillery and rocket fire Sunday, in the fifth month of war between the army and paramilitary fighters.

Asia Cup 2023: Bangladesh keep themselves alive with 89-run win over Afghanistan

Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Najmul Hossain Shanto delivered when it mattered the most by hitting centuries as Bangladesh registered an emphatic 89-run win over Afghanistan to keep themselves alive in the Asia Cup here on Sunday. While Miraz amassed 112 runs off 119 deliveries, Shanto picked up where he left off in the previous game, with a 105-ball 104 to take Bangladesh to a commanding 334 for 5 after opting to bat.

Hockey | Indian Railways thumps Karnataka, lifts MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup

The experience and the might of Indian Railways was too much to handle for a young Hockey Karnataka side as the former scripted a 5-2 victory in the final of the 94th MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup all-India hockey tournament here on Sunday. The hero of the match was drag-flick expert and former junior international Pratap Lakra, who scored a hat-trick.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will travel to New Delhi to participate in the G20 leaders summit from September 7-10, making her fourth visit to India in 10 months, the Treasury Department said on Thursday.

Ms. Yellen intends to focus at the summit on strengthening the global economy and supporting low-and middle-income countries by advancing efforts on debt restructurings, the evolution of multilateral development banks (MDBs) and building International Monetary Fund trust fund resources, the Treasury said.

She will “continue to build momentum” for her drive to evolve the World Bank and other multilateral lenders to boost financing capacity to aid developing countries’ clean energy transitions, tackle pandemics, fragility and conflict, it said.

The Treasury estimates that the lenders collectively can unlock $200 billion in new financing over a decade with balance sheet measures now being implemented or under discussion.

Also read | IMF managing director to attend G20 summit in Delhi after trips to China and Indonesia

The Treasury said Ms. Yellen also will rally America’s G20 allies to maintain economic support for Ukraine and increase costs on Russia over Moscow’s continuing war in Ukraine. This includes supporting the G7-led price cap on Russian oil exports and efforts to strengthen global food security in the face of restrictions on Ukrainian grain exports.

At the same time, the Treasury said Ms. Yellen will work to deepen U.S. bilateral ties with India, a country she first described last November as a prime “friend-shoring” destination and alternative to China for U.S. investment and supply chains.

Also read | Help us make G20 summit a success: PM Modi

Treasury’s statement did not mention specific bilateral meetings.

On the sidelines of last year’s G20 Summit in Indonesia, Ms. Yellen met with the People’s Bank of China’s then-governor Yi Gang in first of several face-to-face meetings with senior Chinese officials in recent months to ease rocky U.S.-China ties, culminating in her visit to Beijing in July.