New Delhi:

“Pandora”… “Samara”… “Paramount”… and the G20 Summit in Delhi. What is the connection? According to Delhi Police sources, these are a few of the hotels G20 leaders and their entourage stayed in during the three-day meeting of some of the most influential people in the world.

And if they aren’t familiar – among the several uber-luxurious properties in city – that is because these aren’t the real names of hotels that played host to United States President Joe Biden and his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and heads of state from Nigeria, the Netherlands, Spain and Mauritius.

Sources told NDTV Tuesday morning – after the summit’s conclusion and after the security blanket that covered New Delhi has been lifted – that each hotel had been assigned a code word for operational purposes and to maintain secrecy while plotting VVIP movements.

Protocol also dictates that when the head of state, or foreign dignitary, is on the move, his/her actual destination is never revealed during radio communications between the different teams guarding them – remember all the spy/thriller movies you’ve ever seen?

Each code word the result of briefings between the security teams of each head of state, the Special Protection Group (an elite commando unit that guards the Prime Minister) and the highest echelons of Delhi Police. All of this was under the direct supervision of the Union Home Ministry.

More specifically, police and security personnel at junior levels are not told of these words.

Code Words Revealed

So (and you’ve been waiting for this!) what do the code words lead to?

“Pandora” was US President Biden’s residence – the ITC Maurya Sheraton, which is usually where American heads of state stay when they visit India – and “Samara” was the code for the Shangri-La, where UK PM Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murthy bunked during the G20 Summit.

The Le Meridien, or “Mahabodhi”, was ‘home-away-from-home’ for leaders from Nigeria, the Netherlands, Spain and Mauritius, as well as World Bank officials, and the Taj Man Singh, or “Paramount”, hosted the UAE Crown Prince.

READ |Biden, Sunak, Trudeau… Where World Leaders Stayed During G20 In Delhi

Similar words were also assigned the The Lalit, The Grand, the Claridges, and other temporary residences. Code words were also used for destinations, so Rajghat, where G20 leaders and foreign officials paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on a rain-drenched Sunday morning was “Rudpur”. And Pragati Maidan – ground zero, where the summit was held – was “Niketan”

READ |Rishi Sunak, Wife Akshata Murty Take A Break From G20, Visit Akshardham Temple.

Security Issues

The high level of security aside, the weekend’s G20 Summit was not without a few moments of concern, after at least two separate breaches of protocol were reported.

READ | Saudi Cop Reaches UAE President’s Delhi Hotel, Stopped By Security When…

In the first, a car from Biden’s convoy made an unexpected appearance at the hotel hosting the UAE Crown Price and, in the second a Saudi man at the Crown Prince’s hotel tried to approach him.

Trudeau’s Woe

Meanwhile, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is experiencing a few days more of Indian hospitality than planned, after his primary plane grounded. Mr Trudeau – who had booked into The Lalit – is expected to fly home later today.

New Delhi:

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pulled no punches at an event in France on Sunday, declaring that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, “have nothing to do with Hinduism” and that “there is nothing Hindu about what the BJP does…”

“I have read the Gita, a number of the Upanishads and many Hindu books… absolutely nothing Hindu about it (the BJP)… I have not read anywhere in any Hindu book, or heard from any learned Hindu person, that you should terrorise or harm people weaker than you.”

“This idea… this word – ‘Hindu nationalist’ – this is a wrong word. They are not ‘Hindu nationalists’… they have nothing to do with Hinduism,” Mr Gandhi emphasised.

I have read the Gita, Upanishads and many Hindu books. There is nothing Hindu about what the BJP does—absolutely nothing.

I have not read anywhere in any Hindu book or heard from any learned Hindu person that you should terrorize or harm people who are weaker than you.

They… pic.twitter.com/mEj2vOrAxq

— Congress (@INCIndia) September 10, 2023

Interacting with students at Paris’ Sciences PO University, he ripped into the government, which has been widely criticised for suppressing opposition leaders’ voices within the country, accusing them of being “out to gain power at any cost”.

“They (BJP and RSS) have nothing to do with Hinduism. They are out to gain power at any cost… and will do anything to ensure the caste structure and social structure of my country is not threatened,” he said.

“They seek the dominance of a few… that is what they are about.”

Mr Gandhi’s comments came after a question about the “scary radicalisation of youth by Hindutva forces”. This is not the first time he has attacked the BJP on this topic. In 2021, he called them “fake Hindus” who “use” religion for their benefit.

READ | BJP, RSS Are “Fake Hindus”, They “Use” Religion, Says Congress’s Rahul Gandhi

The jabs invited a predictably furious response with BJP Lok Sabha MP Tejasvi Surya taunting his rival for “crying… while Bharat achieves global consensus” – a reference to the “100 per cent” declaration from the weekend’s G20 meet.

READ | G20 Pact Unveiled, “100% Consensus”, Including On Ukraine: 10 Points

The very fact Rahul Gandhi thinks Hinduism is practiced by referring to ‘books’ shows how shallow his understanding of our dharma,” Mr Surya gloated on X (formerly Twitter).

The very fact that Rahul Gandhi thinks that Hinduism is practiced by referring to ‘books’ shows how shallow his understanding of our dharma.

That he has been reduced to crying before a handful of people in some far away European city while Bharat is achieving global consensus… https://t.co/TZk2VmmC6w

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) September 10, 2023

“That he has been reduced to crying before a handful of people in some far away European city, while Bharat is achieving global consensus at G20, is telling of how the nation has rejected his brand of politics in the last decade,” he declared.

And Then The ‘Sanatan Dharm’ Row

Mr Gandhi’s jabs also come amid a fight over Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comment about ‘Sanatan Dharm’, which the BJP and right-wing commentators have claimed is a “call for the genocide of people with Sanatan thoughts”.

Earlier this month Mr Stalin said, “Sanatana (Dharma) ought to be eradicated like malaria, dengue and mosquito…”

An apoplectic BJP hit back, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several members of his cabinet and party targeting him. Mr Stalin was even the target of a Rs 10 crore bounty allegedly issued by a temple priest in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.

READ | “Even As We Launch Chandrayaan”: MK Stalin Defends Son In “Sanatan Dharma” Row

Mr Gandhi has not, so far, responded directly to this controversy, although his party has, flip-flopping between support and criticism. Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge disavowed any religion that does not treat all people as equals. However, Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge, his father, seemed to want distance, declaring “there is no need to mix religion, politics”.

New Delhi:

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Sunday, declaring neither “have nothing to do with Hinduism” and that “there is nothing Hindu about what the BJP does…”. Mr Gandhi was at an event in France on Sunday, when he said, “I have read the Gita, a number of the Upanishads and many Hindu books… absolutely nothing Hindu about it (the BJP)… “

“I have not read anywhere in any Hindu book, or heard from any learned Hindu person, that you should terrorise or harm people weaker than you. This idea… this word – ‘Hindu nationalist’ – this is a wrong word. They are not ‘Hindu nationalists’… they have nothing to do with Hinduism,” Mr Gandhi emphasised.

I have read the Gita, Upanishads and many Hindu books. There is nothing Hindu about what the BJP does—absolutely nothing.

I have not read anywhere in any Hindu book or heard from any learned Hindu person that you should terrorize or harm people who are weaker than you.

They… pic.twitter.com/mEj2vOrAxq

— Congress (@INCIndia) September 10, 2023

Interacting with students at Paris’ Sciences PO University, he ripped into the government, which has been widely criticised for suppressing opposition leaders’ voices within the country, accusing them of being “out to gain power at any cost”.

“They (BJP and RSS) have nothing to do with Hinduism. They are out to gain power at any cost… and will do anything to ensure the caste structure and social structure of my country is not threatened,” he said.

“They seek the dominance of a few… that is what they are about.”

Mr Gandhi’s comments came after a question about the “scary radicalisation of youth by Hindutva forces”. This is not the first time he has attacked the BJP on this topic. In 2021, he called them “fake Hindus” who “use” religion for their benefit.

READ | BJP, RSS Are “Fake Hindus”, They “Use” Religion, Says Congress’s Rahul Gandhi

The jabs invited a predictably furious response with BJP Lok Sabha MP Tejasvi Surya taunting his rival for “crying… while Bharat achieves global consensus” – a reference to the “100 per cent” declaration from the weekend’s G20 meet.

READ | G20 Pact Unveiled, “100% Consensus”, Including On Ukraine: 10 Points

The very fact Rahul Gandhi thinks Hinduism is practiced by referring to ‘books’ shows how shallow his understanding of our dharma,” Mr Surya gloated on X (formerly Twitter).

The very fact that Rahul Gandhi thinks that Hinduism is practiced by referring to ‘books’ shows how shallow his understanding of our dharma.

That he has been reduced to crying before a handful of people in some far away European city while Bharat is achieving global consensus… https://t.co/TZk2VmmC6w

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) September 10, 2023

“That he has been reduced to crying before a handful of people in some far away European city, while Bharat is achieving global consensus at G20, is telling of how the nation has rejected his brand of politics in the last decade,” he declared.

And Then The ‘Sanatan Dharm’ Row

Mr Gandhi’s jabs also come amid a fight over Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comment about ‘Sanatan Dharm’, which the BJP and right-wing commentators have claimed is a “call for the genocide of people with Sanatan thoughts”.

Earlier this month Mr Stalin said, “Sanatana (Dharma) ought to be eradicated like malaria, dengue and mosquito…”

An apoplectic BJP hit back, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several members of his cabinet and party targeting him. Mr Stalin was even the target of a Rs 10 crore bounty allegedly issued by a temple priest in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.

READ | “Even As We Launch Chandrayaan”: MK Stalin Defends Son In “Sanatan Dharma” Row

Mr Gandhi has not, so far, responded directly to this controversy, although his party has, flip-flopping between support and criticism. Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge disavowed any religion that does not treat all people as equals. However, Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge, his father, seemed to want distance, declaring “there is no need to mix religion, politics”.

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.

The United Kingdom is “working closely with India to tackle Khalistani extremism”, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Friday evening, shortly after landing in Delhi to take part in the G20 Summit – a meeting of one of the world’s most influential power blocs. Mr Sunak stressed that the UK would not accept any form of violence, and that the two countries are collaborating to end this threat.

“This (the Khalistani issue) is a really important question… let me just say, unequivocally, no form of extremism or violence like that is acceptable in the UK. And that is why we are working very closely with the Indian government to tackle ‘PKE’ (pro-Khalistan extremism),” the UK leader said.

“Our Security Minister was recently in India… we have groups working together to share intelligence so we can root out this kind of violent extremism. It’s not right and I won’t tolerate it in the UK.”

The UK minister, Tom Tugendhat, was in Delhi last month and vowed to ensure the security of Indian diplomatic staff in London. He said the British government is aware of India’s concerns and stressed that “any attempt to radicalise people in the UK will be dealt with by the authorities”.

READ | Taking Steps To Secure Indian Mission: UK Minister After Khalistan Attacks

“Let me be very clear about this. This is not an Indian problem in the UK. Whenever there is radicalisation in the UK of UK citizens, this is a British problem. And so any attempt to radicalise any UK citizen in any direction will be dealt with by the British government,” he had said.

Khalistani Attacks On India In UK

In March, pro-Khalistan elements shouting separatist slogans attacked the Indian High Commission in London and pulled down the national flag from a pole in front of the building. This was a day after police in Punjab launched an intensive manhunt for radical preacher Amritpal Singh.

The attack was decried by the UK’s Business and Trade Minister as a “disgrace”.

READ |Attack On India Mission In London A “Disgrace”: UK Trade Secretary

India-UK FTA

Last month it was reported India and the UK are in the “final stages” of talks. Today, Mr Sunak said “Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and I are keen to see the comprehensive and ambitious trade deal concluded…”, but cautioned “trade deals always take time… they need to work for both countries”.

On the topic of India-UK ties, he spoke about areas of co-operation, including technology, telling ANI, “… excited about increasing collaboration between our incredible researchers, scientific community, universities. The UK and India are two of the leading technology superpowers… if we work together we can create jobs, create new businesses, and help solve some of the world’s pressing problems.”

Sunak On G20 And India

Ahead of the G20 Summit, Mr Sunak spoke to news agency ANI on a range of issues, including the India-UK Free Trade Agreement and the Indian roots of his family, of which much has been made since he was voted to power in October last year. He also declared himself “a proud Hindu”.

Mr Sunak praised India’s presidency of the G20, declaring it to be “the right country at the right time” to be hosting the summit. “The G20 has been a huge success for India… (I) feel we will have a very good couple of days of deliberations and decisions…” he told ANI.

On India’s G20 theme – “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam“, or “One Earth, One Family” – Mr Sunak described himself as “an example of the incredible living bridge” and the summit’s motto.

India assumes presidency of the G20 – which rotates between member nations – for 2023 and a decked-up national capital will play host to the 19 other members over the next three days.

New Delhi:

The Indian Air Force has taken an operational pause in the ongoing Exercise Trishul going on in the northern sector as fighter aircraft will not be flying from September 7-10.

IAF officials made it clear that only the flying operations of the aircraft involved in Ex Trishul would be paused and other routine flying may continue.

In this period, the Indian Air Force would start operating its PHALCON AWACS aircraft to keep an eye on the air space across the country to protect the air space over the national capital region in view of the G-20 summit, defence sources said.

The Indian Air Force is also deploying its Rafale and other fighter jets at the advanced air bases to protect Delhi skies for the summit.

The surface-to-air missile systems have also been moved to places around Delhi for taking out enemy aircraft or rogue drones.

Indian Air Force has been carrying out a major training exercise codenamed Trishul in the northern sector along the borders with both China and Pakistan since September 4.

All major fleets of fighter aircraft including the Rafale, Mirage 2000 and the Su-30MKIs are participating in the drills along with heavy-lift transport aircraft and choppers including the Chinooks and Apache. Garud Special Forces are also part of the drills where all elements of air power are being exercised.

Exercise has been underway from September 4 and will culminate on September 14 in the northern sector including Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir and Punjab.

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

New Delhi:

Russia’s Vladimir Putin has conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi his inability to attend the G20 Summit to be hosted by Delhi next weekend. Mr Putin will send foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in his place, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The PMO also said the leaders, who interacted during last week’s BRICS Summit in South Africa also spoke about bilateral, regional and global issues.

During the brief call, Prime Minister Modi expressed an understanding of Mr Putin’s decision and conveyed India’s gratitude for Russia’s support as it holds presidency of the G20 for this year.

The two leaders agreed to remain in touch, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Speculation Mr Putin will not travel for the G20 Summit broke last week after the Kremlin’s statement on the Russian leader, who faces global criticism for leading his country into the war with Ukraine.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin; it accuses him of war crimes in Ukraine – something the Kremlin has strongly denied. The ICC’s warrant means Mr Putin risks arrest when travelling abroad and that was one reason why he did not travel to South Africa (for the BRICS Summit) either, preferring instead to address the meeting via a video link.

READ |At BRICS Summit in South Africa, Putin’s Justifies War With Ukraine

Earlier today, as speculation mounted, the Russian envoy to India, Denis Alipov, said a decision on who would represent his country at the G20 Summit would be made shortly.

“This is not my prerogative… I would suggest we wait for the official announcement. As regards his (Putin’s) participation in the G20 and what format it will be (and) who is going to represent Russia at the summit… I think such an announcement will be made shortly,” he was quoted by news agency PTI.