Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in high-level bilateral talks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg on Sunday, signaling a deepening strategic partnership between the two influential Global South nations. Accompanied by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and senior officials, the closed-door meeting explored enhanced cooperation in security, defence collaboration, and expanded people-to-people ties.

The discussions come a day after President Ramaphosa personally welcomed PM Modi at the summit venue in Nasrec, setting a warm tone for bilateral engagement. Sources indicate both leaders reviewed existing frameworks while identifying fresh avenues for collaboration, particularly in counter-terrorism, maritime security, and technology sharing, as India and South Africa seek to amplify their collective voice within multilateral forums.

During the summit’s opening sessions, PM Modi delivered a forceful vision for reformed global governance, urging G20 nations to adopt human-centric development metrics that prioritize planetary well-being alongside economic growth. He highlighted India’s proactive role in disaster resilience, energy transitions, and food security, earning praise for steering the agenda toward inclusive and sustainable outcomes.

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In a major proposal, Modi announced the G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership, designed to democratize access to space-based earth observation data for developing nations. The initiative would empower countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America with critical tools for agriculture, disaster forecasting, and fisheries management, positioning India as a champion of technology equity in the Global South.

The Prime Minister also launched the G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative, advocating recycling and second-life battery solutions to secure clean-energy supply chains. With both India and South Africa rich in strategic minerals, the bilateral meeting is believed to have explored joint strategies to counter dominance in global critical mineral markets, marking a significant step toward stronger economic and strategic alignment between New Delhi and Pretoria.

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