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Employee benefits - Evolution of assets fair value (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Overfunded pension plans
Evolution of assets fair value
Fair value of plan assets as at beginning of the year	$ (1,298)	$ (1,220)
Interest income	74	110
Translation adjustment	1,172	(91)
Fair value of plan assets as at end of the year	(2,266)	(1,298)
Overfunded pension plans | Fair value of assets
Evolution of assets fair value
Fair value of plan assets as at beginning of the year	5,304	4,737
Interest income	298	416
Employer contributions	(39)	27
Benefits paid	(368)	(433)
Return on plan assets (excluding interest income)	(114)	757
Translation adjustment	(1,112)	(200)
Fair value of plan assets as at end of the year	3,969	5,304
Underfunded pension plans
Evolution of assets fair value
Fair value of plan assets as at beginning of the year	(695)
Fair value of plan assets as at end of the year	(641)	(695)
Underfunded pension plans | Fair value of assets
Evolution of assets fair value
Fair value of plan assets as at beginning of the year	3,726	3,273
Interest income	109	123
Employer contributions	54	56
Benefits paid	(248)	(247)
Return on plan assets (excluding interest income)	305	382
Translation adjustment	46	139
Fair value of plan assets as at end of the year	3,992	3,726
Other benefits
Evolution of assets fair value
Fair value of plan assets as at beginning of the year	(1,504)
Fair value of plan assets as at end of the year	(1,733)	(1,504)
Other benefits | Fair value of assets
Evolution of assets fair value
Employer contributions	53	62
Benefits paid	$ (53)	$ (62)

X

- Definition

The decrease (increase) in net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from contributions to a defined benefit plan by the employer. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset); Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph f
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- Definition

Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from changes in foreign exchange rates. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph e
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X

- Definition

The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the passage of time. [Refer: Interest expense; Net defined benefit liability (asset)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph b
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- Definition

The amount of deficit or surplus in a defined benefit plan, adjusted for any effect of limiting a net defined benefit asset to the asset ceiling. [Refer: Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 140
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- Definition

The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from payments from the plan. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2020-01-01
-Paragraph 141
-Subparagraph g
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X

- Definition

The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the return on plan assets, excluding amounts included in interest income or expense. The return on plans assets is interest, dividends and other revenue derived from the plan assets, together with realised and unrealised gains or losses on the plan assets, less any costs of managing plan assets and less any tax payable by the plan itself, other than tax included in the actuarial assumptions used to measure the present value of the defined benefit obligation. [Refer: Plan assets [member]; Net defined benefit liability (asset); Actuarial assumptions [member]; Interest expense (income), net defined benefit liability (asset)]

+ References

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