Manmohan Singh leaves for G20 Summit in Seoul

NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday left for Seoul to attend the 5th G20 Summit where he will meet his host, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, apart from other leaders.

During the three-day visit, the prime minister is not only expected to articulate India’s stand on how to achieve global financial stability - the basic foundation of the grouping of the top rich and emerging economies, but also meet a host of leaders on the margins.

The G20, originally formed at the level of finance ministers and central bank governors in 1999 after the East Asian economic crisis, assumed significance after it was elevated to a summit-level forum in 2008 after the ongoing global financial crisis.

Besides India, South Korea, Brazil, US and Canada, the G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, Britain, and the European Union.