Rishi Sunak admits India has given him a special nickname - 'I hope it's affectionate!'
Rishi Sunak admitted that India has given him a special nickname
PA
Rishi Sunak has admitted he is referred to as "India's son in law" as he makes his first "special" visit to the south-east Asia country in three years.
The Prime Minister also made clear that he would use a gathering of world leaders at the G20 in Delhi to demonstrate the isolation of Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking on the flight to India with reporters, Sunak - who is travelling with his Indian-born wife Akshata Murty - said it was "special to be visiting a country that is very near and dear to me".
The Sunak family used to travel to India every February half term but Mr Sunak said he had not been able to go there since 2020 after he was promoted to Chancellor and the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
Rishi Sunak is travelling to India with his wife Akshata Murty
PA
He added: "It’s obviously special. I saw somewhere that I was referred to as India’s son in law, which I hope was meant affectionately. Look, I’m excited to be back and it’s nice to have Akshata here with me."
Sunak said the absence of Russian president Vladimir Putin at the G20 for the second year running "demonstrates his isolation in the global community".
He added: "He wasn't there last year, he's not there this year to answer for what he's doing. He doesn't want to be held accountable."
Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is expected at the two day summit. Mr Sunak said he would hold him accountable for "causing suffering in Ukraine" as well as "to millions of people in very vulnerable countries around the world" by attacking Ukraine.
The Prime Minister spoke with reporters on the plane
PA
He said: "The acute issue is his failure to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is causing an enormous amount of suffering to millions of people.
"That initiative provided something like 13 million tonnes of food to over 45 countries who really needed it. And now it's not there."
Sunak disclosed that the G20 had yet to reach an agreement on a joint statement at the summit in India, with China objecting to proposals on Ukraine and climate change.
“We’re not there yet,” he said. "You have to recognise the G20 is different to the G7. These things are always going to be challenging.”
Sunak said the UK would “continue to make the case” to China that “what Russia is doing is wrong, and why it’s right to support Ukraine, particularly when it comes to food security.”
Britain would also use negotiations over the weekend to make sure G20 nations “continue to meet their climate commitments,” he said.
Sunak signalled that he wanted China to commit to the same form of words on Ukraine and climate change that was agreed at the last G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, last year. The G20 “worked really hard at Bali” to come to an agreement, he said.
Those two topics would dominate discussions over the weekend, Mr Sunak said.
You may like
