G-20 host Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opened the G-20 summit in New Delhi on Saturday. But here's the interesting part - his nameplate read Bharat, the Sanskrit or Hindi title of the South Asian country, rather than India. Modi welcomed the delegates as the President of the G20, speaking in Hindi.

A Debate Over Names
Both Bharat and India are used officially in the nation of 1.4 billion people. However, a controversy arose when dinner invites for the Group of 20 summit referred to Droupadi Murmu as "President of Bharat" instead of "President of India." This sparked a public debate over what the country should be called.

The Name Game
Some people support the name Bharat, arguing that "India" was given by British colonizers. On the other hand, others believe that the name Bharat predates colonial rule. The opposition has warned against changing the country's name, claiming that the use of Bharat was a response to the formation of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, or the INDIA alliance.

The INDIA Alliance
In July, leaders from 26 Indian opposition parties formed the INDIA alliance. Their goal is to unseat Modi in the 2024 general election. This alliance has also played a role in the ongoing name controversy.