Modi calls for 'mindset shift' as India takes over G20 presidency

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (1) called for a "sift in fundamental mindset to benefit humanity as a whole" as the country took over the presidency of the G20 grouping.

Speaking of the year-long international responsibility, Modi said the G20 presidency will be "inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented" and added that it would encourage an honest conversation on mitigating risks that are posed by weapons of mass destruction and enhancing global security.

The South Asian nation, which took over the presidency from Indonesia at the Bali summit in November, kicked off its term with a focus on counter-terrorism and "unity" in tackling global challenges, such as climate change and economic slowdown.

India's G20 plans also include a special emphasis on start-ups and bridging the digital divide.

The country will host 200 meetings across its length and breadth over the next year, with the inaugural one in Udaipur in the north-western state of Rajasthan later this week.

The year would culminate with the G20 summit in New Delhi in September next year.

India's external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the G20 platform aims to forge common ground on significant issues among prominent countries.

"Our endeavor as the G20 chair is to make that consensus more relevant through wider consultation," he said.

Also to commemorate the occasion, 100 monuments across India, including the UNESCO world heritage sites, would be lit up starting Thursday to highlight the G20 logo for a week.

Modi unveiled the logo and the theme for India's G20 presidency last month. It depicts a lotus flower and a globe, while the theme for India's G20 presidency is -- "One Earth, One Family, One Future" -- which highlights its commitment to 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the world is one family).