G20 Virtual Summit: PM Modi Welcomes Israel-Hamas Ceasefire, Suggests Global Regulations For AI

In his opening remarks at the virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (22 November) expressed concern over the prevailing instability in West Asia and underlined that it is important to ensure that the Israel-Hamas war does not take the shape of a regional conflict.

PM Modi also welcomed the announcement of the release of hostages, hours after Israel’s Cabinet approved a temporary ceasefire with the Hamas group, which will facilitate the release of dozens of hostages captured by the militant group during its 7 October attack.

The Prime Minister further said terrorism is “unacceptable” to everyone and asserted that the death of civilians wherever it may be is condemnable.

The virtual meeting was attended by leaders like European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, among others.

Voicing concerns about the negative use of Artificial Intelligence, PM Modi called upon the G20 leaders to work together on the global regulation of AI. He reiterated his concern about deepfakes, which generate highly realistic visuals.

"India believes that collaborative efforts are necessary for establishing global regulations for AI. Recognising the significant threat deepfakes pose to society and individuals, we must proactively address this issue. Our goal is to ensure that AI reaches the people in a manner that is safe for society," he added.