Sherpas from the G20 countries are negotiating to reach a consensus and a declaration at the Sept. 9-10 summit in New Delhi, Jaishankar said in an interview broadcast on Wednesday.

“No, no. I don’t think this has anything to do with India,” he told ANI, which is minority owned by Reuters, when asked whether Putin and Xi would not miss the summit because they were angry with India.

“I think whatever decision they make, they know best. But I don’t see it the way you suggest,” he said.

Asked whether their absence would affect the search for consensus and the elaboration of the declaration at the end of the summit, Jaishankar said: “We are currently negotiating: “We are negotiating…time didn’t start yesterday. .

But expectations for the G20 are “very high” and New Delhi faces the challenges of a “very difficult world” impacted by pandemics, conflicts, climate change, debt and political crises, he added.

The G20 brings together 20 of the world’s major economies and its leaders aim to try to find solutions to some of the world’s pressing problems, even though the deep geopolitical divide created by the war in Ukraine threatens any progress.

But the absences of Putin and Xi and the divisions in the war mean it will be difficult to reach a consensus statement from leaders at the summit, analysts and officials say. US President Joe Biden will focus on World Bank reform and pushing other multilateral development banks to increase climate change lending and infrastructure projects at the summit, the White House said on Tuesday.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he looked forward to discussing digital issues and food security. India says discussions are underway regarding a global framework for regulating crypto assets.