Saudi Arabia in the G20: a guide for Model G20 delegates

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If you are assigned Saudi Arabia at a Model G20, you speak for one of the G20's 19 member countries, which sit alongside the European Union and the African Union. The Kingdom held its first G20 presidency in 2020 and, in 2026, faces a war in its region. This guide reflects official sources and dated news reports as of mid-October 2026.

At a glance

System (Basic Law, 1992, revised 2013): "The system of government in Saudi Arabia shall be monarchical." The capital is Riyadh.
Leaders (2026): King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, head of state since 2015 according to reference sources, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister since 2022.
People (2025): 36,973,555 (World Bank).
Economy (2025): GDP of US$1,276.9 billion and real growth of 4.5 percent (World Bank).
G20 presidency (2020): the Riyadh Summit, 21 to 22 November 2020, held virtually because of COVID-19.
Groupings: an original UN member (1945), a WTO member since 2005 and one of OPEC's five founders (1960).

Saudi Arabia's G20 story

Saudi Arabia's presidency began on 1 December 2019. King Salman's welcome letter said the Kingdom had "a key role to bring forward the perspectives of the Middle East and North Africa region, as well as the views of developing countries." The theme was "Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century for All". COVID-19 forced an extraordinary virtual summit in March 2020. The November summit's main outcomes:

Debt. Leaders backed the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) "including its extension through June 2021" and endorsed the "Common Framework for Debt Treatments beyond the DSSI", still on the agenda in 2026.
Trade. Leaders recognised the contribution of the Riyadh Initiative on the Future of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Energy and climate. Leaders endorsed the "Circular Carbon Economy (CCE) Platform, with its 4Rs framework (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Remove)", an approach King Salman said Saudi Arabia had "advocated". The Declaration calls it "voluntary", not binding.

The 2025 Johannesburg Declaration says: "We welcome Saudi Arabia's ambition to advance its turn for hosting the G20 Presidency in the next cycle." It gives no year. At Johannesburg, Saudi Arabia was represented by its Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.

What Saudi Arabia wants from the G20

These are the Saudi government's positions; other parties dispute some of them.

Energy security. In June 2026 Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said, as reported by Al Jazeera, "without energy security, you will lose sustainability". The Riyadh text backs "the widest variety of fuels and technology options, according to national context".
Climate, counted by emissions. With India in 2025, Saudi Arabia backed climate agreements "with a focus on emissions rather than sources". In the UN's summary of his September 2026 speech, the Foreign Minister argued that "energy security and climate action should be mutually reinforcing rather than competing goals". The Saudi Green Initiative aims at "net zero emissions by 2060"; that is a target, not a result.
Debt relief. In 2025 Saudi Arabia and India called the Common Framework "the main and most comprehensive platform for coordination between official creditors".
Diversification. In its December 2019 presidency overview, under Vision 2030, the Kingdom said it was implementing reforms to "diversify its economy, empower women and youth".

Alliances and groupings

United Nations: an original member, admitted on 24 October 1945.
OPEC and OPEC+: a founder of OPEC in 1960, according to Al Jazeera, which wrote in April 2026 that "Alongside Saudi Arabia, the UAE is one of the few OPEC members with meaningful spare capacity", before the UAE's announced exit from OPEC, due on 1 May 2026. Since 2016 OPEC has worked with Russia and others through OPEC+.
BRICS (disputed): India's official BRICS 2026 site lists Saudi Arabia as a member, but a 2023 India-Saudi joint statement speaks only of an "invitation extended to Saudi Arabia to join BRICS". We found no Saudi confirmation, so attribute whichever view you use.
IMEC: Saudi Arabia signed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor memorandum in September 2023.

Saudi Arabia and India

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) says diplomatic relations were established in 1947, and a 2010 declaration "elevated the bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership". Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited India for the G20 Summit in September 2023, and Prime Minister Modi made a State Visit on 22 April 2025.

In FY 2024-25 bilateral trade stood at US$41.88 billion, most of it Indian imports. India is Saudi Arabia's second largest trade partner; Saudi Arabia is India's fifth largest. Saudi Arabia supplied 13.58 percent of India's crude oil imports that year, and the MEA puts the Indian community in the Kingdom at about 2.74 million.

One point is sensitive. In April 2025 both governments "condemned cross-border terrorism". In September 2025, on reports of a Saudi-Pakistan defence pact, India's spokesperson said India "will study the implications". Present that as India's stated position, not a break in relations.

Recent developments

A war in the region. Al Jazeera, with Reuters, reports that the war it calls the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began in late February 2026, cut exports from Saudi Arabia and three other OPEC+ members. In the UN's summary of his 26 September 2026 speech, the Saudi Foreign Minister spoke of "flagrant Iranian attacks" and called for "restoring the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to its pre-28 February status without the imposition of any fees or restrictions". After an 11 October call with him, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said "Insisting on a military approach and disregarding a political solution would only further complicate the situation". These are each government's own claims.

Attacks on airports. On 8 October 2026 India's MEA condemned attacks "targeting Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh". On 10 October, Al Jazeera reports, a Houthi missile hit Riyadh's airport. Reported tolls differ, so say "at least" and cite a dated source.

The economy. Growth figures depend on their date. The December 2025 budget showed 4.6 percent for 2026 and the IMF's July 2026 update 1.7 percent, while Al Jazeera, reporting the IMF's outlook of 13 October 2026, says Saudi Arabia "is projected to record negative growth of 3.3 percent" for 2026.

The G20 in 2026. Saudi Arabia attended the first sherpa meeting and the Houston energy ministerial. The Asheville finance chair's statement of 1 September 2026 called "free, safe, and predictable navigation through the Strait of Hormuz" essential to growth, naming no country as responsible; China objected to that paragraph and three others.

Representing Saudi Arabia at a Model G20

Likely allies. By reasoning: India, which agreed to coordinate with the Kingdom "in international organizations and forums, including the G20"; OPEC+ partners such as Russia on oil markets; and the US presidency, whose energy group backs "each nation choosing its own energy mix".
Likely red lines. Also by reasoning: text that targets fuel "sources" rather than emissions, any fees or restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, and Palestine wording that departs from the Saudi call, in the UN's summary, for "a two-State solution", a position other parties dispute.
Know what you agreed. The Riyadh Declaration backs "medium term rationalization and phasing-out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption, while providing targeted support for the poorest", so you can accept that wording while resisting wider limits on fuels.
How to phrase positions. Use the Kingdom's vocabulary, such as "Circular Carbon Economy" and "according to national context", and offer amendments rather than blocking whole paragraphs.
Documents to quote. The Riyadh Leaders' Declaration (21 November 2020), the India-Saudi joint statement (22 April 2025), the UN summary of the Foreign Minister's speech (26 September 2026) and the Johannesburg Declaration (2025).

What to do next

Build your brief with how to write a Model G20 position paper and how a G20 leaders' declaration is agreed, then read the G20 Sherpa Track and Finance Track explained and the 2026 G20 presidency explained.

Model G20 is One Young India's simulation of the G20 summit for students, held as a three-day residential summit at FLAME University.

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