PM Sunak 'very much' looking forward to G20 summit in September: UK envoy

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is very much looking forward to attending the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September, UK High Commissioner in India Alex Ellis has said.

Interacting with PTI on Friday on the sidelines of a preview of an art exhibition here, Ellis said he thought it was "great" that India is in the chair of the G20.

India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2022.

About 200 meetings under different tracks of the bloc will be hosted across the country, culminating in the September 9-10 Summit.

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"I think it's great, I think it's great that India is in the chair of the G20," Ellis told PTI when asked about India's role as G20 chair.

"Because, the world is quite divided at the moment, unfortunately, because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine," he added.

Praising the "vibrant" culture and diversity of India that has been attracting people from all over the world, the UK envoy, said, "India is a unique country to bring the world to it. And, India has always fascinated the rest of the world, because of this (art, culture)... because of its different shapes and styles, colours, and it attracts people".

On culture being an important element of the G20, Ellis said he hoped art can be replicated where G20 brings people from all over the world.

As India prepares for the mega G20 Summit to be hosted at a newly-inaugurated complex at Pragati Maidan in Delhi, the UK high commissioner said, "Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is very much looking forward" to the Leaders Summit.

The UK high commissioner earlier took a round at the art exhibition 'Cut from the Same Cloth' by Seema Kohli, hosted at the iconic Bikaner House, which will open to the public from Saturday and will be on view till August 4.

On Culture Working Group meetings taking place in the run-up to the G20 summit, Ellis said, "Culture can attract, it can explain, and what is also fundamental to what is to be a human being".

Of many nations, and India and the UK, and all over the world, "everyone has culture and if you can find a way to connect that, you can do a great thing," he said, referring to the theme of India's presidency of the G20 -- One Earth. One Family. One Future.

The UK government is looking forward to Prime Minister Sunak's visit to New Delhi in September for the G20 summit, UK's Minister of State for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries, Sir John Whittingdale, had last month told PTI in Goa.

He had said this after attending the G20 Tourism Ministerial meeting that had concluded on June 22. Whittingdale had also said that India is doing a “fantastic job” in chairing the influential bloc.

At the art exhibition in Delhi, high commissioner Ellis shared how art lets him understand India more.

"Anyone who comes from the outside... I come from the UK, you are very curious about a new country, what is the country about. How do I understand this country. And, one way to look at a country is to look at its art. So it's fantastic to have artists who can interpret art," he said.

Artists can make you look at colours and shape and form, and through that one begins to understand, he said.

"Because, India is a very big, very complicated country. And, one of the pleasures is to meet the artists, and see fantastic arts, and a way which helps me understand India," the envoy added.