India hosts G20 with Putin and Xi absent

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially kickstarted the first day of the G20 summit with a welcome speech to the delegates.

However, the mega event is marred by the absebce of the presidents of Russia and China will not be at the G20.

Vladimir Putin says his schedule is too busy but he likely wants to avoid the possibility of arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) which earlier this year issued a warrant for Mr Putin’s arrest, accusing him of war crimes in Ukraine.

That conflict will likely be the sticking point at the G20. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special military operation” rather than an invasion or a war.

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It won’t agree to any official statement saying that Russia must withdraw. China’s Xi Jinping has attended every G20 summit since taking office, but is skipping this one. US President Joe Biden has said he’s disappointed and India is likely to see it as a snub.

China is Russia’s strongest strategic partner and has been reluctant to sign anything condemning Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.

The strict sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries have meant trade between the two countries increased by 30% last year.

Tens of thousands of security personnel have been deployed in Delhi this week to ensure the safety of delegates and leaders who are visiting for the summit. The government has declared three days of holidays for most schools and offices in Delhi.

Security restrictions are especially severe in central Delhi, where the summit venue is located. Theatres, restaurants and most shops in the area are shut from Friday to Sunday, and people living here have been asked to stay home unless it’s an emergency.

While the Delhi police is in charge of overall security, thousands of personnel have been brought in from other government services, including paramilitary forces. The Indian Air Force’s fighter planes have also been deployed to safeguard Delhi’s skies, reports say.