PM Modi to Present India’s Perspective at G20 Summit in South Africa

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Johannesburg on Friday to attend the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit, marking the first time the grouping’s summit is being hosted on the African continent. In a departure statement, the Prime Minister said he would present India’s perspective in line with the philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’—One Earth, One Family, One Future—while reinforcing the outcomes of India’s 2023 G20 presidency. The summit, held under South Africa’s presidency, carries the theme ‘Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability’, building on the New Delhi and Rio de Janeiro declarations.

Modiji highlighted the historic significance of the Johannesburg meeting, noting that India had successfully championed the African Union’s permanent membership during its own presidency two years ago. “This will be a particularly special summit given that it will be the first G20 Summit being held in Africa,” he said on X. The Prime Minister is scheduled to speak in all three plenary sessions covering inclusive economic growth and debt burdens, climate change and just energy transitions, and the future of critical minerals, artificial intelligence, and decent work.

On the sidelines, Modiji will hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders and participate in the sixth IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa) Summit, underscoring trilateral cooperation among the three major democracies of the Global South. This marks the fourth consecutive G20 presidency held by a Global South nation, following Indonesia (2022), India (2023), and Brazil (2024), a sequence that has shifted the grouping’s focus toward development priorities, debt relief, and climate finance.

Also Read: Tirumala Laddu Scam: SIT Records Statement of YV Subba Reddy for Eight Hours

The Prime Minister will also address members of the Indian Diaspora in South Africa, one of the largest such communities outside India, many tracing their roots to indentured labourers and traders who arrived over a century ago. With the African Union now a full G20 member, India is expected to strongly advocate for increased representation and financing for the Global South on issues ranging from sustainable development goals to reform of multilateral institutions.

As Johannesburg hosts leaders representing 85 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population, the summit is seen as a pivotal moment to bridge divides between developed and developing nations. Modi’s engagements over the next two days are likely to emphasise continuity of India’s ‘Global South first’ approach while pushing for concrete outcomes on climate finance, technology transfer, and reform of the international financial architecture.

Also Read: Farmers’ Association Head Calls PM Modi’s Natural Farming Conference a Carefully Orchestrated Farce