G20 Summit: Biden to arrive in Delhi on Friday

This marks President Biden's inaugural visit to India since assuming office in January 2021.

New Delhi: US President Joe Biden will arrive in New Delhi at around 7 p.m. on Friday evening to attend the two-day G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled to begin on Saturday, officials sources said.

This is Biden’s first trip to India after taking office as President in January 2021.

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The President left the US for Delhi on Thursday night (US time).

He will follow Covid-19 guidelines set by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during his visit to India, the White House has said.

On Monday, First Lady Jill Biden had tested positive for Covid, following which the President was also tested for the virus for two days.

Besides Biden, China’s Premier Li Qiang, UAE president Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will also arrive in the national capital on Friday.

The Chinese Premier is expected to land by 7.45 p.m.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bangaladesh Prime Pinister Sheikh Hasina will also be arriving for the Summit.

Moreover, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has also confirmed his visit to India for the G20 summit, sources informed.

Ahead of the G20 summit, the member nations of the grouping had agreed to grant permanent membership to the African Union, a continental body of 55 member states.

With this, the African Union has earned the same status as the European Union.

The G20 grouping comprises of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union.