London, Sep 4 - Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee began meeting with his counteparts from the G20 group of countries here Friday, as two key European leaders said India should help replenish a massive funding gap in the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

European Union funding for the IMF is a major issue at the Sep 4-5 G20 finance ministers' meet, which could also see India, China, Brazil and Russia demand being given a greater say in the running of the IMF, including a bigger share of voting rights.

G20 leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, agreed at their London summit in April to add $500 billion to the IMF, particularly to help poor countries grapple with the credit crunch - part of a massive $1.1 trillion rescue package announced by British premier Gordon Brown at the summit.

The EU had then offered to provide about $100 billion, but France and Germany earlier this week said that sum should be raised to $175 billion.

'Other countries like India, Saudi Arabia and other emerging markets can be expected to make pledges and we should continue to call on them to join the international effort,' the German and French finance ministers wrote in a joint letter.

'However, we believe that Europe should not wait for these pledges and should announce rapidly the amount of its own contribution,' they added.