As the Indian summit concludes, G20 leaders visit the Gandhi memorial to pay their respects before handing over to Brazil.

NEW DELHI — G20 leaders paid their respects to Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi as their summit came to a close Sunday, a day after the group added a new member and reached agreement on a range of issues but softened language on Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The Group of 20 rich and developing nations welcomed the African Union as a member – part of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s drive to uplift the Global South. And host India was also able to get the disparate group to sign off on a final statement despite pointed disagreements among powerful members, mostly centered on the European conflict.

India has announced a bold initiative to collaborate with the United States, the European Union, and other nations in constructing a railway and maritime route. This project aims to enhance economic development and foster political collaboration by connecting India with the Middle East and Europe.

After addressing those important matters, the leaders exchanged handshakes on Sunday and had their pictures taken with Modi at the Rajghat memorial site in New Delhi. They were each presented with a khadi shawl, a type of fabric that Gandhi advocated for during India’s struggle for independence from the British.

Certain leaders, such as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and last year’s G20 host President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, adhered to the tradition of walking barefoot to the memorial as a sign of respect. On the other hand, U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders opted to wear slippers due to the wet ground caused by heavy rain.

The leaders were positioned in front of the memorial, where wreaths had been placed. The memorial includes a perpetual flame and was adorned with garlands made of orange and yellow marigolds.

G20 leaders visit a Gandhi memorial to pay their respects on the last day of the summit in India.

The one reserved for Modi identified him as prime minister of “Bharat” – an ancient Sanskrit name championed by his Hindu nationalist supporters that shot to prominence as the summit approached.

Earlier today, Sunak and his spouse Akshata Murthy individually made a visit to the Akshardham Temple, a highly significant Hindu place of worship in Delhi, where they offered their prayers.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took over the G20 rotating presidency at the summit’s end. He hopes to rebuild Brazil’s standing after a period of international isolation under far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro.

According to Laerte Apolinário Júnior, a professor of international relations at the Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paulo, Brazil is expected to leverage its presidency to push for more funding towards environmental conservation, particularly due to its significant share of the Amazon rainforest.

Lula has expressed his desire to move past the conflicts surrounding Ukraine, stating in an interview with Indian news site Firstpost that the G20 summit was not the suitable platform to address the ongoing war.

Brazil has proposed mediating in the conflict, but those efforts have largely been rebuffed, and its refusal to arm Ukraine has sparked criticism from Western countries.

Latin America’s biggest democracy is also scheduled to assume the presidency of the BRICS group – composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – and host the UN’s climate conference in 2025.

In the months before the summit of leaders in New Delhi, India faced difficulties in reaching a consensus on the phrasing regarding Ukraine. Both Russia and China expressed their objections to language that they had previously agreed upon at the 2022 G20 summit in Bali.

This year’s final statement, released a day before the formal close of the summit, highlighted the “human suffering and negative added impacts of the war in Ukraine,” but did not mention Russia’s invasion directly.

The leaders from the Western countries, who have previously advocated for a stronger condemnation of Russia’s actions in previous G20 meetings, still regarded the agreement as a positive outcome and commended India’s skillful efforts to maintain a delicate balance.

Oleg Nikolenko, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s foreign ministry, expressed gratitude towards the countries that attempted to use more forceful language. However, he stated that the G20 should not take pride in their actions, specifically highlighting the need to refer to the conflict as a war “against Ukraine” rather than “in Ukraine.”

Though the Ukraine wording was not as strong as many Western leaders wanted, it could help bolster the West’s position in the long run, said a senior EU official who only spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to talk frankly about the discussions.

That’s because Russia, China and all the developing countries in the group – including some that have been less critical of Russia – had signed off on every line, making it clear that “Russia is the cause of this war and Russia is the one that is prolonging it,” the official said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told reporters it was significant that Russia had signed on to the agreement that mentioned the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

At a press briefing, Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of Russia, stated that the Global South’s defense of its rightful interests played a crucial role in thwarting the West’s efforts to prioritize the “Ukrainization” of the agenda over addressing pressing issues faced by developing nations.

Lavrov stated that the Ukrainian crisis is only referred to in the final G20 declaration in relation to the importance of resolving all global conflicts.

India prioritized addressing the needs of the developing world during the summit, and organizers made efforts to prevent it from being overshadowed by the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed last year’s G20 summit in Bali by video and stole the show with an in-person appearance at the gathering of leaders of the G7 rich democracies – all of whom are members of the G20 – in Hiroshima earlier this year. Modi made a point of not inviting Zelenskyy to participate in this year’s event.

At the summit, India initiated a worldwide alliance for biofuels with 19 countries, including the U.S. and Brazil. These fuels, derived from crops or organic waste, have become increasingly favored as a renewable substitute for fossil fuels.

The G20 includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the U.S and the EU. Spain holds a permanent guest seat.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping made the decision not to attend this year, avoiding any potentially difficult discussions with their American and European counterparts.