PM Modi proposes G20 virtual summit in Nov-end, hands over presidency to Brazil

Congratulating Brazil's President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the G20 gavel to him on the final day of the Summit in Delhi.

At the concluding session, Modi handed over the gavel and offered best wishes to Brazil for the presidency. Brazil officially will take over the mantle of the presidency of the elite grouping on December 1 this year.

Speaking on the occasion, Lula da Silva congratulated Modi and thanked India for its efforts to give voice to the topics of interest to emerging economies.

Lula da Silva also listed social inclusion, the fight against hunger, energy transition and sustainable development as G20 priorities.

He said the UN Security Council needs new developing countries as permanent, non-permanent members to regain political strength. ''We want greater representation for emerging countries at the World Bank and the IMF,'' he said.

Lula da Silva said: "We are living in a world where wealth is more concentrated in which millions of human beings still go hungry, where sustainable development is always threatened, in which government institutions still reflect the reality of middle of the last century. We will only be able to face all these problems if we address the issue of inequality - inequality of income, of access to healthcare, education, food, gender and race and also of representation is at the origin of these anomalies."

On the second day of the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday received G20 leaders and delegation heads at Rajghat. They paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi while being accompanied by a live performance of Mahatma Gandhi's cherished devotional songs.