G20 Summit: Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, other world leaders to arrive in Delhi today

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden will be among the first world leaders to land in New Delhi on Friday to the attend two-day mega Group of 20 or G20 Summit 2023 beginning on 9 September.

The G20 Summit hosted at the sprawling Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre in Pragati Maidan, is likely to focus on tackling global issues, including clean energy transition and combatting climate change, mitigating the economic and social impacts of Russia-Ukraine war, poverty, etc.

Joe Biden

Joe Biden on Thursday (US local time) left for India to participate in the G20 Summit to be chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Biden will follow the Covid-19 guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during his visit to India for the G20 Summit, the White House has said. First Lady Jill Biden, 72, tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday. President Biden, 80, was tested for the virus on Monday and Tuesday following his wife's positive test, but his results were negative.

Travelling with the US president onboard the Air Force One include US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, deputy chief of staff Jen O'Malley Dillon, and director of Oval Office operations Annie Tomasini.

Sullivan told reporters that the White House expects to see meaningful progress on General Electric jet engines and civil nuclear technology in upcoming bilateral talks between Biden and Modi.

Earlier this year, the aerospace unit of GE.N announced it had signed an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics to jointly make engines in India to power fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.

Biden is set to arrive around 6.55pm on Friday. Minister of state for civil aviation VK Singh will be at the airport to welcome him. According to the White House, Biden would arrive in New Delhi on Friday evening, with a refuelling stop at Ramstein, Germany.

Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak is scheduled to arrive at 1.40pm in New Delhi. He will be received by minister of state for consumer affairs Ashwini Kumar Choubey.

Financial Times reported that Sunak will urge Modi to "call out" Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and use its clout to help end the war. It will be his first official trip to India since taking office last October.

Sunak and Modi are expected to hold bilateral talks on the margins of the G20 event and will discuss progress in the trade deal the two countries are trying to negotiate, the report said. Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine last year.

Fumio Kishida

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's aircraft will touch down at Palam Air Force Station at 2.15pm. He, too, will be received by Choubey. This will be Kishida's second visit to India, after his first visit in March.

Justin Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be received by minister of state Rajeev Chandrasekhar after his landing at 7pm. Trudeau is visiting New Delhi at a time when ties between India and Canada saw some grey clouds over the activities of Khalistani groups in his country.

Li Qiang

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will land around at 7.45pm and will be received by VK Singh. China's Xi Jinping will miss the G20 meeting at a time of heightened trade and geopolitical tensions with the United States and India, with which it shares a long and disputed border. Beijing did not give a reason but said Li Qiang would attend instead. External affairs minister S Jaishankar, however, said Xi skipping the summit was "not unusual" and would not affect negotiations to produce a consensus communique at the meeting.

G20 Summit: Other world leaders arriving on Saturday

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be received by MOS Darshana Jardosh at 12:30pm.

UAE President HH Shaikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan will be received by MoS (Home) Nityanand Rai as he arrives in the national capital at 8pm.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will arrive at 6.15pm and he will be received by Rajeev Chandrasekhar.