British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez and IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva were among the top leaders who arrived here on Friday for the G20 summit.

The leaders were welcomed by traditional dance performances by various troupes and a smiling Georgieva danced to the beat of the music at the airport.

Meloni and Hasina were received at the airport by Union Ministers Shobha Karandlaje and Darshana Jardosh respectively.

Sunak, accompanied by his wife Akshata Murthy, was welcomed at the airport by Union Minister Ashwini Choubey, British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis and senior diplomats.

Fernandez was welcomed by Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste while Comoros President Azali Assoumani also arrived here to a rousing welcome.

US President Joe Biden would arrive in New Delhi on Friday evening, with a refuelling stop at Ramstein, Germany, according to the White House.

Travelling with the US president onboard the Air Force One include US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Deputy Chief of Staff Jen O’Malley Dillon, and Director of Oval Office operations Annie Tomasini among others.

The US president is looking forward to a successful G-20 Summit and advancing several of the causes dear to his heart like climate change, and reforms of international forums like the World Bank and the International Monetary Funds.

On his maiden trip to India as the president of the United States, Biden would welcome the African Union as a G20 member, an Indian move that has been supported and cheered by world leaders.

He is expected to have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi on Friday itself.

The G20 leaders will deliberate on pressing global issues at the grouping’s annual summit here on September 9 and 10. India is hosting the summit in its capacity as the current G20 chair.

The leaders of the influential grouping are being welcomed at the airport with cultural performances.

In its G20 presidency, India has been focusing on various issues such as inclusive growth, digital innovation, climate resilience and equitable global health access.

The G20 member countries represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade and about two-thirds of the world population.

The grouping 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).