Summit for Democracy: PM Modi likely to attend virtual meet called by President Biden; Taiwan invited, Russia ignored

The Summit for Democracy intends to focus on matters that impact or lead to the disintegration of democracy. The leaders also aim to discuss how to protect the freedom and rights of citizens in their home countries and abroad. The virtual summit is lined up right after the impending December 6 meet between PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to join the 'Summit for Democracy', a virtual meet organised by US President Joe Biden. India and over 100 other nations have reportedly received the invitation for the summit scheduled to be held on December 9 and 10. However, Russia and China do not figure in the list.

The Summit for Democracy intends to focus on matters that impact or lead to the disintegration of democracy. The leaders also aim to discuss how to protect the freedom and rights of citizens in their home countries and abroad.

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"The virtual Summit, to take place on December 9 and 10, will galvanize commitments and initiatives across three principal themes: defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights," the White House said.

"For the United States, the summit will offer an opportunity to listen, learn, and engage with a diverse range of actors whose support and commitment is critical for global democratic renewal. It will also showcase one of democracy's unique strengths: the ability to acknowledge its imperfections and confront them openly and transparently, so that we may, as the United States Constitution puts it, "form a more perfect union", said the US state department.

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The virtual summit is lined up right after the impending December 6 meet between PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at his Lok Kalyan Marg (LKM) in New Delhi.

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Amid the complicated relations of the US with China and Russia, the invitation list excluded the two nations, while it has invited Taiwan, as per media reports. With democracy forcibly overthrown, Afghanistan and Myanmar, are also not on the list. The summit is likely to focus on issues of the non-democratic nations.

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Although the list has not been officially released, Politico claims to be the first to have accessed it. President Biden's administration is also facing flak over the selection of countries as Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE are among the others who are not on the list. Many of the uninvited Middle Eastern countries are also key allies of the US which gives rise to many questions directed towards the administration's choice of nations.

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