New Delhi: The Russia-Ukraine conflict will form an important part of discussions at a G20 foreign ministers meeting, but host India is confident that economic challenges created by the war will get equal attention, India’s foreign secretary said on Wednesday.

“Yes, given the nature and the developing situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, it will be an important point of discussion,” Vinay Kwatra, India’s top diplomat, told reporters on Wednesday, as foreign ministers arrived in New Delhi for the meeting.

“Questions relating to food, energy and fertiliser security, the impact that the conflict has on these economic challenges that we face”, among others, would also receive “due focus”, Kwatra said.

The meeting will be attended by 40 delegations including Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

After a welcome dinner later on Wednesday, discussions will be held on Thursday.

G20 includes the wealthy G7 nations as well as Russia, China, India, Brazil, Australia and Saudi Arabia, among other nations.

The meeting comes days after a meeting of finance chiefs of G20 countries in Bengaluru which was overshadowed by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Rising US-China tensions are likely to feature at the foreign ministers’ meeting while Kwatra said he also expected a clear message on terrorism. The role of crypto currencies will be a part of the message, he said.

“This isn’t an era of war”: India reaffirms position on Russia-Ukraine conflict

India on Wednesday cleared its stand on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, reaffirming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that “this isn’t an era of war”.

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said: “India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict is that ‘This isn’t an era of war’. Dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward. The agenda is for the foreign ministers to discuss in the meet.”

Kwatra further stated that sessions will “capture” issues of the global south.

During the Foreign Ministers meeting on Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be chairing two sessions.

“The first session will focus on multilateralism, and issues related to food and energy while the second session will focus on four or five key issues including new and emerging threats including counter-terrorism and narcotics, global skill mapping, focus on global talent pools,” said the Foreign Secretary.

The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) is scheduled to take place in physical format from 1-2 March, 2023 in New Delhi under India’s presidency. Representatives of 40 countries, including non-G20 members invited by India, and multilateral organisations will attend.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the foreign ministers of the member countries of G20 and he will talk about India’s growing influence globally.