'Wheels in Motion' for Mega G20 Meet in Delhi: Govt Wants Dignitaries to Travel around City in Style

With about 4,500 guests from abroad and 2,500 officials and staff from India expected at the mega G20 summit in Delhi on September 9-10, the government wants them to move around the city in some luxury.

India is seeking 130 high-end Mercedes and BMW sedans for the top foreign dignitaries arriving in the capital for the event. In addition, 100 luxury passenger vans and 70 luxury buses will be hired for other senior delegates and the media delegations arriving from abroad.

The heads of state of G20 nations will be in Delhi in September, for one of the most high-profile diplomatic events for India. The government is hence seeking 30 luxury sedans as spare VVIP cars for these heads of state and for their spouses’ motorcades. It is specifically seeking either BMW 7 Series or Mercedes S Class cars for this purpose.

Further, the government is seeking another 100 luxury sedans for the accompanying ministers to the heads of state. BMW 5 series or Mercedes E class cars will be hired and deployed for this purpose.

Besides this, 100 high-end passenger vans of Toyota Hiace, Volkswagen Crafter, or Mercedes Sprinter ​have been sought for the accompanying senior delegates in the motorcade. The government is also seeking to hire 70 luxury buses of either Volvo, Mercedes, or Scania for the media delegates.

Another 600 SUVs, specified to be Toyota Innova Crysta or equivalent will be hired for pilots, escorts, and security vehicles for the various motorcades.

The G20 Leaders Summit in Delhi will be a two-day event with a cultural programme and gala dinner along with an indoor or outdoor event, and an arrival and departure meeting. The government is expecting nearly 3,000-4,000 media persons from abroad and India, 1,500 foreign delegates, about 1,000 Indian officials and security staff, and about 1,000 Indian and foreign security officials at the event.

Under India’s Chair for G20, the Leaders’ Summit will include heads of government (HOGs), heads of state (HOSs), and heads of international organisations (HOIOs). The summit will take place in the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC), Pragati Maidan.

All the HOGs/HOSs/HOIOs and their delegates visiting India for the Leaders’ Summit will be provided with dedicated vehicles. The vehicles will be available with these dignitaries from their arrival to departure from India.