US President Joe Biden to visit India from September 7-10 for G20 Summit; to push for IMF, World Bank reforms

G20 Summit India: US President Joe Biden will be in India from September 7-10 for the G20 Summit, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan informed on Tuesday.

India is hosting the G20 Summit on September 9-10 in New Delhi.

Addressing a presser, White House National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan said that President Joe Biden will push for IMF and World Bank reforms at G20 summit. 

Jake Sullivan said that the IMF and World Bank need to offer a better alternative for development support and financing to what he called China’s “coercive and unsustainable lending.”

Joe Biden “will really focus a lot of his energy while he is there on the modernization of the multilateral development banks, including the World Bank and the IMF,” he said.

The aim is to ensure that the development banks offer “high standard, high leverage solutions” to the challenges developing countries face, he said.

The US will push proposals in New Delhi that will increase World Bank and IMF lending power by some $200 billion, he said.

In a statement, the White House said, “President Biden and G20 partners will discuss a range of joint efforts to tackle global issues, including on the clean energy transition and combatting climate change, mitigating the economic and social impacts of Putin’s war in Ukraine, and increasing the capacity of multilateral development banks, including the World Bank, to better fight poverty, including by addressing global challenges. While in New Delhi, President Biden will also commend Prime Minister Modi’s leadership of the G20 and reaffirm the US commitment to the G20 as the premier forum of economic cooperation, including by hosting it in 2026.”

Private, Govt officers to remain closed in Delhi from September 8-10

Ahead of the summit, all private and government offices in Delhi will remain closed on September 8-10 while banks and commercial establishments, including markets, in the New Delhi district will be shut during these three days.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal approved a proposal in this regard in view of the G20 Summit in the national capital.

According to the approved proposal, all schools and colleges will remain closed during these three days.

“The file has been sent to Lt Governor VK Saxena for his nod. After the Lt Governor’s approval, a public notification will be issued by the Delhi government,” a top city government officer said.

All commercial and business establishments, including banks and financial institutions, located within the jurisdiction of the New Delhi police district will remain closed on September 8-10.

Special Police Commissioner Madhup Tiwari on August 18 wrote to the chief secretary, suggesting that the government declare public holidays during September 8-10 and issue directions for the closure of commercial establishments located mostly in the New Delhi area in view of the summit.

Closure of a few metro stations, including the Supreme Court and the Central Secretariat, is also on the cards due to security reasons, police sources said.

Heavy vehicles, excluding those involved in essential services, may not be allowed to enter the city between September 8 and 10, the sources added.

India hosting G20 Summit from September 9-10

India is hosting the G20 Summit and the main event will be held in New Delhi on September 9-10.

The summit is likely to be attended by 29 heads of states as well as top officials of the European Union and invited guest countries and 14 heads of international organisations.

Madhup Tiwari said in the letter that apart from the main summit venue — the new convention centre at Pragati Maidan — there are other venues such as Rajghat, IARI Pusa and NGMA (Jaipur House) that will see visits from the foreign dignitaries.

There are multiple hotels in Delhi-NCR that have been earmarked for the heads of states, and delegates from governments and international organisations.

The special commissioner said that since most of the arrivals will take place on September 8 — a Friday — and the delegates will depart on September 10-11, there will be massive movement of traffic, which needs to be curtailed to ensure their safe passage.

“Recognising the magnitude of this event and the substantial logistical arrangements involved, we believe that declaring a public holiday during the G20 Summit will aid in minimising potential traffic congestion, minimising inconvenience to the residents of Delhi and also provide them the opportunity to witness this global summit…” Tiwari wrote.

He had also said that it was advisable to issue directions for commercial establishments, including markets, falling within the “controlled zone” — located mostly in the New Delhi district — during this period. The special commissioner had said the Delhi Police would be issuing traffic advisories for the summit.

“We understand the importance of maintaining essential services during this time and assure you that we are committed to assist in the implementation of any necessary contingency plans to ensure the continuity of critical functions,” he had said in the letter.

“In view of the above, we kindly request the esteemed authority to consider declaring a public holiday in Delhi from September 8 to 10 and ordering commercial and business establishments to remain closed in the indicated ‘controlled zone’ for the overall success of the summit,” the special commissioner had added.

Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) SS Yadav said that his department is coordinating with the transport department and the Delhi Metro.

Routes on which Delhi Transport Corporation buses will not be allowed to ply during the summit will be decided and some of the metro stations may be closed as well, he said.

“It is a coordinated effort and the people of Delhi will be informed about each and every step taken in this direction,” Yadav added.

New Delhi decked up for G20 Summit

The national capital is already being decked up for the big event, with Lt Governor Saxena hitting the roads to inspect G20-related projects.

Sixty-one important roads and 23 hotels associated with the Summit are being monitored. More than a dozen newly-inducted civil servants have been deployed in Delhi for round-the-clock patrols to point out gaps in preparations, officials said last week.

With inputs from PTI

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