G20 Summit: VK Singh to Welcome Biden, Chinese PM | List of Ministers Assigned to Receive World Leaders

The Narendra Modi-led central government has made a list of ministers, who will be responsible for receiving foreign dignitaries arriving for the G20 Leaders Summit in Delhi on September 9 and 10. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen arrived in the national capital on Wednesday and was received by union minister Anupriya Patel.

The international event is being attended by more than 30 heads of state and top officials from the European Union and invited guest countries as well as 14 heads of international organisations. General VK Singh (Retd) has been assigned to welcome US President Joe Biden, who is arriving in the national capital at 6.55 pm IST. The union minister, who has been the minister of state for external affairs in the past, will also be receiving Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang.

On Wednesday, during an informal meeting of the council of ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised his colleagues to be well-dressed in Indian attire representing the country’s cultural diversity, when they receive dignitaries. He also advised them to be humble and simple in their approach.

Among the first to arrive will be British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at 1.40 pm IST. He will be received by union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, who will also receive Japanese PM Fumio Kishida at 2.15 pm IST.

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni will be received by minister of state for agriculture Shobha Karandlaje, while MoS for railways and textiles Darshana Jardosh will receive Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina. South Korea president Yoon Suk Yeol will be received by MoS for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

French president Emmanuel Macron, who will arrive on Saturday (September 9) will be received by MoS for commerce Anupriya Patel. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is also arriving the same day, will be received by union minister BL Verma.

United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will be received by MoS for home affairs Nityanand Rai. Union minister L Murugan will be receiving dignitaries from Singapore.