Modi Uses ‘Bharat’ for G20 Nameplate, Not India, amid Name-Change Row

 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures to welcome US President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Bharat Mandapam convention center for the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (Reuters)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures to welcome US President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Bharat Mandapam convention center for the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (Reuters)
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Modi Uses ‘Bharat’ for G20 Nameplate, Not India, amid Name-Change Row

 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures to welcome US President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Bharat Mandapam convention center for the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (Reuters)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures to welcome US President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Bharat Mandapam convention center for the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (Reuters)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's placard at the opening of the G20 summit on Saturday referred to India as "Bharat", raising speculation of a change of name for the South Asian nation.

India is also called Bharat, Bharata, Hindustan - its pre-colonial names - in Indian languages and these are used interchangeably by the public and officially.

While the country has traditionally stuck to using India in titles such as president or prime minister while communicating in English, President Droupadi Murmu earlier this week referred to herself as the "President of Bharat" in a dinner invitation for a reception of G20 leaders, sparking controversy.

As Modi declared the summit in New Delhi open on Saturday, he sat behind a table nameplate that read "Bharat", while the G20 logo had both names - "Bharat" written in Hindi and "India" in English.

Such placards have used "India" in the past.

Speaking in Hindi, the language spoken by a majority of the population, Modi said "Bharat welcomes the delegates as the President of the G20".

New Delhi is hosting leaders of major economies for the bloc's summit at a new, $300 million conch-shaped convention center called Bharat Mandapam, opposite a 16th-century stone fort.

While some supporters of the name Bharat say "India" was given by British colonizers, historians say the name predates colonial rule by centuries.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), has always insisted on calling the country Bharat.

Modi's rivals say the change has been forced by the new opposition alliance formed by 28 parties in July called INDIA or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, to take on BJP in parliamentary elections next year.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office did not respond to a request for comment.



Saudi Arabia Showcases Cultural Identity at Seoul International Book Fair

The Saudi delegation is led by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission. SPA
The Saudi delegation is led by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission. SPA
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Saudi Arabia Showcases Cultural Identity at Seoul International Book Fair

The Saudi delegation is led by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission. SPA
The Saudi delegation is led by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission. SPA

Saudi Arabia has inaugurated its pavilion at the 2025 Seoul International Book Fair held at the COEX Convention and Exhibition Center in the South Korea capital from June 18 to 22.

The Saudi delegation is led by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission.

Commission CEO Abdullatif Abdulaziz Al Wasel stressed that Saudi Arabia’s participation reflects its growing presence in global cultural events. He said the initiative underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to fostering partnerships with international publishing houses and building cultural bridges.

The Saudi delegation includes representatives from the King Abdulaziz Public Library, King Fahd National Library, the Publishing Association, and local publishing houses, as well as the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, and Nashir Publishing and Distribution Company.