India will take over as the chair of the G20 from current chair Indonesia on December 1

India’s upcoming presidency of the G20 is a matter of pride and a great opportunity for the country in its 75th year of Independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

Speaking while launching the logo, theme, and website of India's G20 presidency via video conferencing, Prime Minister Modi pointed out that the world is looking with hope towards collective leadership whether it is G7, G77 or UNGA. In such a situation, India’s presidency of G20 assumes a new significance, he remarked.

The Prime Minister underlined that the world is dealing with the after-effects of a disruptive once-in-a-century global pandemic, conflicts and lots of economic uncertainty.

"The world is going through the after effects of the disruptive COVID-19 pandemic. The symbol of the G20 logo is the representation of hope; No matter how adverse the circumstances, the Lotus still blooms," he added.

India will hold the G20 Presidency for a period of one year starting on December 1. Prime Minister Modi will be heading to Indonesia next week to attend the G20 Summit in Bali where a formal announcement of India’s G-20 Presidency will be made.

In his speech, he congratulated citizens of the country on the momentous occasion of India's G20 Presidency and expressed his delight that ordinary people had contributed their most innovative ideas to the creation of the logo, theme, and website.

He also highlighted the significance of the lotus and "Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam", that are part of the logo, in Indian culture.

"Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam is the signature of India’s compassion to the world. The lotus portrays the cultural heritage and faith of India in bringing the world together," he said.

Prime Minister Modi added that the G-20 mantra is - One Earth, One Family, One Future.

He continued by saying that the world is amazed by the abilities of an emerging "New India" and that they are looking to Indians to take the lead, and as a result, it is up to Indians to exceed these expectations.

He added that "New India" represented the combined powers of 130 crore people living in the same nation.

Recalling the terrible times that Indians endured while shackled by colonialism, PM Modi said that, despite many difficulties, India has learned to draw strength from each adversity. He continued by saying that after gaining its independence, India started from scratch and that now, Indians are making strides toward playing a crucial role in uniting the globe.

While speaking about sustainable development, he stated that we all need to incorporate it into our daily lives while discussing it. He further stated that everyone must take personal responsibility for protecting the environment.

He noted that government initiatives like Jan Dhan and Mudra had made sure that women were economically represented and that India is now transitioning from "women empowerment to women-led development."

He added that with schemes like "One Sun, One World, and One Grid," he said that India had set the global standard for renewable energy conservation. He added, "Our mantra of One Earth, One Family, One Future in G20 will pave a path for global welfare."

The G20, or Group of 20, is the premier forum for international economic cooperation representing around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the worldwide trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU).