Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday shrugged off Pakistan and China’s objections over G20 events being held in Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. PM Modi said that it is natural for India to hold G20 meetings in every part of the country. The Modi government has organised G20 events across the length and breadth of the country to showcase India’s cultural and regional diversity.
In an exclusive interview with PTI, PM Modi said, “India's G20 Presidency also sowed seeds of confidence in countries of the so-called third world. Africa is a top priority for us in G20; no future plan of earth can succeed without all voices being heard."The prime minister has been leading from the front on the issue of the African Union's membership of the G20. In June, Modi wrote to the G20 leaders pitching for according to the African Union the full membership of the grouping at its New Delhi summit.
Weeks later, the proposal was formally included in the draft communique for the summit during the third G20 Sherpas meeting that took place in Karnataka's Hampi in July.A final decision on the proposal would be taken at the G20 summit to be held in New Delhi on September 9 and 10. The African Union (AU) is an influential organization comprising 55 member states that make up the countries of the African continent.The Prime Minister said that the G20 ministerial decisions taken across all domains will prove to be pivotal for the world's future. The G20 summit will be held at the Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan on 9 and 10 September, will see 1,500 Delhi Police personnel deployed outside the venue. "