UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and First Lady Akshata Murty arrived in Delhi on September 8 to attend the G20 Summit 2023 on September 9-10. They were received by Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey upon their arrival.
The power couple were dressed elegantly with Akshata Murty opting for a fusion look with a plain white shirt and a floor-length skirt with colourful, intricate patterns. The UK PM opted for a black suit and an orange tie to complement Murty’s skirt.
All eyes are on the UK PM and the First Lady – all the more because of the absence of Jill Biden, partner of US President Joe Biden, and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, who recently separated from Canadian PM Justin Trudeau after 18 years of marriage.
Not only because of the absence of the two high-profile spouses, Akshata Murty and Rishi Sunak will remain at the limelight also because of their India connection. Akshata Murty is the daughter of Infosys co-founder N Narayana Murthy and educator and author Sudha Murty.
Rishi Sunak has often been referred to, fondly, as India’s ‘son-in-law’. He even made a remark on it. “I saw somewhere I’d been referred to as ‘India’s son-in-law,’ which I hope was meant affectionately. I’m excited to be back and it’s nice to have Akshata here with me,” he told reporters travelling with him about the India trip.
Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty interacted with young students at the British Council in India. “Before meeting the world leaders of today I’ve been meeting with the world leaders of tomorrow,” he said.
Akshata Murty will take part in the spousal programme that will include a visit to millet fields and a tour of the National Gallery of Modern Art. She will also visit the British Council again on Saturday to interact with young women fashion designers.
UK PM Rishi Sunak told reporters that some progress has been made but they are “not there yet”. He added that he won’t rush into a UK trade deal with India.
On why he is participating at the G20 Summit 2023, Rishi Sunak said, “Put simply, global issues matter. There are some things we simply can’t do alone. Countries have to work together. We saw this during COVID and it’s right that we come together to fight climate change and Putin’s illegal war. The G20 and summits like it provide a unique opportunity to talk face-to-face with the leaders of other countries and address those issues.”
The G20 Summit is being attended by most of the world leaders including US President Joe Biden, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina and more.