Modi in Australia: Indian PM is 'Most Popular Leader' at G20 Summit [PHOTOS]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a grand debut at the G20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia, on Saturday, as he engaged with the most important world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In fact, even in the midst of all major world leaders, it is Modi, who is said to be the most 'sought after' and, as The Guardian said in its article, he is 'one of the most popular figures at this G20. A leader others want to see, and be seen with'.

"Modi arrived at the G20 on Friday as the political rock star of the summit," the article, titled, 'Narendra Modi: From international pariah to the G20's political rock star', states, adding that he 'is the man the other leaders are seeking out this week'.

Modi, who has been on a spree of bilateral meetings ever since coming to power, is now engaging in a multilateral power push in his Australia visit, and is reportedly said to be the 'most sought' leader there.

At the G20 Retreat, ahead of the summit, Modi was flocked by Obama, Putin and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, IANS reported.

On the first day of the meeting, the Indian Prime Minister called for economic reforms that were free from political pressures and more people-centric.

"Globally, reforms are handicapped with perception of being government programmes, a burden on the people, this needs to change," he said. "Reforms should lead to simplification of process. Reform is bound to face resistance...must be insulated from political pressures," he added at the retreat organised by Abbott.

"Reform must be people-centric and people-driven," he said.

Modi had earlier met with the leaders of the BRICS nations at an informal meeting before the summit. He had reinforced his stand on the issue of black money and called for "close coordination on unaccounted money kept abroad".

"Unaccounted money abroad is also linked to security challenges," he said.