Will discuss economic and health recovery at G20: PM Narendra Modi

India says hopeful of getting WHO approval for Bharat Bio's Covaxin soon

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he will hold discussions on global economic and health recovery from the pandemic at the G20 meet in Rome, expected to kick-start on Saturday.

Modi will be in Italy from October 29 to 31 after which he will travel to Glasgow, the UK, from November 1-2 to attend the COP-26 World Leaders’ Summit. In Glasgow, the PM will highlight the need to comprehensively address climate change issues, including equitable distribution of carbon space, he said in his departure statement.

He said the meeting will allow the G20 to take stock of the current global situation and exchange ideas on how the grouping can be an engine for strengthening economic resilience and building back inclusively and sustainably from the pandemic.

“During my visit to Italy, I will also visit the Vatican City, to call on His Holiness Pope Francis and meet Secretary of State, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin,” Modi said.

On the sidelines of the G20 Summit, the PM said he will also meet with leaders of other partner countries and review the progress in India’s bilateral relations with them.

Modi said India is among the top countries in the world in terms of installed renewable energy, wind and solar energy capacity.  

“In line with our tradition of living in harmony with nature and culture of deep respect for the planet, we are taking ambitious action on expanding clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency, afforestation and biodiversity,” he asserted.

The PM said at COP-26 he will also highlight the need to comprehensively address climate change issues, including equitable distribution of carbon space, support for mitigation and adaptation and resilience building measures, mobilisation of finance, technology transfer and importance of sustainable lifestyles for green and inclusive growth.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said resumption of international travel through mutual recognition of vaccine certification will be one of the main items that will be discussed at the G20 summit.

Shringla said India is hopeful that the World Health Organization will soon give approval to Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin and that the Centre is closely following the discussions taking place within the global health body.

“We have got information that Bharat Biotech will give answers to them (WHO) once their questions are responded properly, then approval will come soon. We are carefully following the process and hopeful that we will get the WHO recognition for Covaxin soon,” he said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will also attend the G20 joint finance and health ministers’ meeting in Rome on October 29, which among other things will discuss Covid-19 prevention and response.

With inputs from PTI