Foreign Minister Lavrov will represent Russia at the New Delhi G20 Summit, President Putin informed PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin during which the two leaders reviewed progress on a number of issues of bilateral cooperation, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on Monday (August 28, 2023).

They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, including the recently-concluded BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. While Prime Minister Modi had attended the summit in person, President Putin attended the event virtually.

During the conversation, President Putin conveyed his inability to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9-10, 2023. He informed that Russia would be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the PMO said.

While expressing an understanding for Russia’s decision, Prime Minister Modi thanked President Putin for Russia’s consistent support to all initiatives under India’s G20 Presidency, the PMO added.

The G20 was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis and comprises the 20 largest economies of the world. The group's members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union.

Under its G20 Presidency, India has prioritized incorporating the concerns and priorities of African nations into the G20 agenda. 

In June 2023, Prime Minister Modi proposed full membership for the African Union, a continental group of countries consisting of 55 member states, at the upcoming G20 Summit in Delhi. PM Modi wrote to his G20 counterparts, responding to the African Union's request for enhanced representation on the international stage.

In January this year, India had hosted the Voice of the Global South Summit 2023. Over 120 developing countries, including those from Africa, took part in the virtual gathering.