Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called an end to the G20 summit in New Delhi on Sunday by passing on the ceremonial gavel to Brazil, which will assume the presidency of the group next year.
“I want to congratulate Brazil's president and my friend Lula da Silva, and hand over the presidency's gavel to him,” Mr Modi said.
Taking over the mantle, Mr da Silva said geopolitical issues should not derail G20 discussions, in reference to the diplomatic wrangling over the Ukraine war.
“We cannot let geopolitical issues sequester the G20 agenda of discussions,” Mr da Silva said. “We have no interest in a divided G20. We need peace and co-operation instead of conflict.”
He also said Russian President Vladimir Putin would be invited to next year's event and he would not be arrested if he attends the meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
Mr da Silva said he plans to attend a Brics meeting in Russia before the Rio meeting.
He also said he hopes to rebuild Brazil’s standing after a period of international isolation under far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Mr Putin in March, accusing him of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.
Russia has denied its forces have engaged in war crimes, or forcibly taken Ukrainian children.
Mr Putin has repeatedly skipped international gatherings, and sent Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to the G20 in New Delhi.
During the two-day summit, the G20 adopted a consensus declaration that included commitments on several issues such as food and energy security, climate change and global debt vulnerabilities.
Mr Modi also proposed a “virtual summit” at the end of November to assess the status of the suggestions and proposals.
-
From left, French President Emmanuel Macron, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visit Raj Ghat memorial. Reuters -
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty visit the Akshardham Hindu Temple in New Delhi. Getty Images -
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addresses a press conference during the G20 Summit in New Delhi. EPA -
From left, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed attend the launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance at the G20 summit in New Delhi. AP -
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed and French President Emmanuel Macron attend the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. Photo: UAE Presidential Court -
From left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian President Droupadi Murmu and UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed at the G20 summit in New Delhi. AFP -
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the G20 Leaders' Summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. AFP -
The 18th G20 Summit between 19 countries and the European Union, and now the African Union, is the first to be held in India and South Asia. AFP -
Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad, Private Affairs Advisor in the Presidential Court, left, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, attend the first session of the G20 Summit. UAE Presidential Court -
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden attend a session as part of the G20 Leaders' Summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. AFP -
France's President Emmanuel Macron greets European Council President Charles Michel before the start of the second working session. AFP -
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks with his advisors before the start of the second working session. AFP -
Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, US President Joe Biden, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speak before the start of the second working session. AFP -
US President Joe Biden greets Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. AFP -
Sheikh Mohamed arrives at the IECC Convention Centre. Photo: UAE Presidential Court -
Sheikh Mohamed is greeted by India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi. UAE Presidential Court -
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to the G20 summit. AFP -
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes Oman's Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Asaad bin Tariq. Oman News Agency -
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi at the G20 summit. Getty -
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. AFP -
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes US President Joe Biden to the G20 summit. AFP -
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Getty -
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the opening day of the G20 summit. AFP -
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. AFP -
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa to the G20 summit, three weeks after the leaders were together at the Brics summit in Johannesburg. Reuters -
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Reuters -
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives to host the G20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi. AFP
Diplomatic victory
On Saturday, the G20 had adopted a consensus declaration that avoided condemning Russia for the war in Ukraine but called on all states not to use force to grab territory.
Mr Lavrov claimed diplomatic victory on Sunday, declaring a G20 summit in India a “success” after the bloc shied away from direct criticism of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
“We were able to prevent the West's attempts to 'Ukrainize' the summit agenda,” Mr Lavrov said as the two-day meeting of leaders closed.
“The text doesn't mention Russia at all,” he said.
Mr Lavrov also said Russia was willing to return to the Black Sea grain deal as soon as its conditions are met.
Russia quit the deal in July, a year after it was brokered by the UN and Turkey, claiming that its own food and fertiliser exports faced obstacles and insufficient Ukrainian grain was going to countries in need.
“The Indian presidency has really managed to coalesce G20 members from the global south,” Mr Lavrov added, suggesting that Moscow's fellow Brics members Brazil, South Africa, India and China had made their voices heard.
G20 leaders on Saturday papered over deep divisions related to Russia's invasion of its neighbour in February of last year – alluding to the problems caused by the war, but not blaming Moscow.
Bilateral meetings
A series of bilateral meetings dominated the two-day summit.
On Sunday, Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan met Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The two presidents discussed relations and energy co-operation between Turkey and Egypt, as well as regional and global issues.
Relations between the two countries broke down in 2013 after Egypt's then-army chief Mr Sisi led the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi, an ally of Ankara.
The day before, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang to “consolidate and deepen” relations.
Rome is considering abandoning Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Neither government mentioned the initiative in brief statements after the meeting in New Delhi, the first between Ms Meloni and Mr Li.
But perhaps the most significant meeting of all was that between Mr Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, according to reports.
India and Saudi Arabia are likely to sign an initial energy co-operation agreement following the two leaders' lunchtime meeting.
The agreement is expected to focus on co-operation in energy efficiency, renewable energy, hydrogen and grid interconnection between the countries.
Gandhi memorial
Earlier in the day, amid heavy rain in the capital, G20 leaders paid their respects to Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi.
Some, including British PM Rishi Sunak and last year's G20 host President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, walked to the memorial barefoot in a customary show of respect.
US President Joe Biden and others wore slippers as they walked over the wet ground spotted with puddles.
The leaders stood before wreaths placed around the memorial, which features an eternal flame and was draped with orange and yellow marigold garlands.
On Saturday, the group welcomed the African Union as a member, part of a drive to uplift the global south.
