New Delhi — India’s wealthiest businessmen, Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, will join G20 leaders at a dinner in the capital on Saturday, highlighting India’s position as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to leverage the leadership of the G20 to promote India as a prime destination for trade and investment, particularly as China’s economy slows.
Prominent global leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, are expected to attend the gathering in New Delhi.
Among the 500 invited businessmen are Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla, Bharti Airtel’s founder-chairman Sunil Mittal, as well as Reliance Industries’ Mukesh Ambani and Adani Group’s Gautam Adani, according to sources. The dinner, held during the leaders’ summit, serves as an opportunity to bring together India’s influential figures.
Notably, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be in attendance at the weekend summit.
The dinner event on Saturday provides another platform for Prime Minister Modi to showcase business and investment prospects in India. The dinner will take place at a newly constructed venue worth $300 million, designed in the shape of a conch shell. The menu will feature Indian cuisine with a special focus on millets, a grain that India has been actively promoting.
Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani have been fierce competitors across various industries, including telecoms, media, energy, and finance. Both individuals have held the title of Asia’s richest person at different times.
Reliance Industries, Adani Enterprises, Tata Sons, Bharti Airtel, Aditya Birla Group, and the Indian government have not responded to requests for comments regarding the dinner invitation.
