New Delhi - For the next 48 hours, leaders from around the world, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, will convene at the expansive Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi's Pragati Maidan for the 18th G20 Summit, commencing on Saturday, September 9.

As the national capital undergoes preparations and sees a partial reduction in its population for this global event, India, the host country, has been working tirelessly to reach last-minute agreements on contentious issues such as the Ukraine conflict, climate change, and global governance.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has already cautioned that these differences among leaders could potentially fuel conflicts and erode public trust.

Even before its commencement, the significance of the G20 Summit was diminished when Chinese President Xi Jinping decided not to attend and instead sent Premier Li Qiang in his place. Although no official reason was provided for Xi's absence, tensions between New Delhi and Beijing over a border dispute have been ongoing.

Modi, however, expressed optimism that the summit would chart a new course in human-centered and inclusive development. India's top G20 officials, refraining from delving into specific contentious topics like the Russia-Ukraine conflict and climate issues, informed the press on the eve of the two-day summit that the Declaration was nearly finalized, and they remained hopeful of achieving a joint communique through consensus.

Here is the comprehensive schedule for the G20 Summit 2023:

Day 1 (September 9)

9:30 am - 10:30 am: Leaders and delegation heads arrive at the summit venue, Bharat Mandapam, followed by a welcome photograph with the Prime Minister at the Tree of Life Foyer. Subsequently, leaders and delegation heads convene in the Leaders' Lounge on Level 2 at Bharat Mandapam.

10:30 am - 1:30 pm: The first session, titled 'One Earth,' will take place at the Summit Hall in Bharat Mandapam, followed by a working lunch.

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm: Various bilateral meetings will be conducted.

3:30 pm - 4:45 pm: The second session, 'One Family,' will be held at the summit venue, after which leaders will return to their respective accommodations.

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Leaders and delegation heads arrive for dinner, commencing with a welcome photograph upon arrival.

8:00 pm - 9:00 pm: During the dinner, leaders engage in discussions while dining.

9:00 pm - 9:45 pm: Leaders and delegation heads assemble in the Leaders' Lounge at Bharat Mandapam to conclude the day.

Day 2 (September 10)

8:15 am - 9:00 am: Leaders and delegation heads arrive in their individual motorcades at Rajghat and participate in a signing ceremony at the peace wall inside the Leaders' Lounge at Rajghat.

9:00 am - 9:20 am: World leaders will lay wreaths at Mahatma Gandhi's Samadhi, followed by a live performance of Mahatma Gandhi's favorite devotional songs. Subsequently, leaders and delegation heads will proceed to the Leaders' Lounge at Bharat Mandapam.

9:40 am - 10:15 am: Arrival of leaders and delegation heads at Bharat Mandapam.

10:15 am - 10:30 am: Tree planting ceremony at Bharat Mandapam's South Plaza.

10:30 am - 12:30 pm: The summit's third session, 'One Future,' will occur at the venue, followed by the adoption of the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration.

G20 Summit: Attendees and Absentees

Confirmed G20 Attendees:

Joe Biden
Rishi Sunak
Fumio Kishida
Justin Trudeau
Emmanuel Macron
Anthony Albanese
Olaf Scholz
Yoon Suk Yeol
Cyril Ramaphosa
Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Notable Absentees:

Xi Jinping
Vladimir Putin
Pedro Sanchez
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador