Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday on a three-day visit to take part in the first G20 Summit. He is expected to raise and discuss issues concerning India and the global south. Before departing, he posted on X, saying, “This is a particularly special Summit as it is being held in Africa. Various global issues will be discussed there. Will be meeting various world leaders during the Summit.”
PM Modi will attend the summit from November 21 to 23. The summit is significant because this is the first G20 summit to take place on the African soil, and the fourth G20 meeting in a row to be hosted by countries from the region, after Indonesia, India and Brazil. Before South Africa, the G20 presidencies were held by Brazil (2024), India (2023) and Indonesia (2022). This also marks PM Modi’s fourth official trip to South Africa, after his bilateral visit in 2016 and his participation in the BRICS summits in 2018 and 2023.
What’s on agenda?
On the sidelines of the summit in Johannesburg, Modi is expected to meet several leaders for one-on-one talks. He will also take part in the sixth IBSA Summit during his visit.
Before leaving, the Prime Minister said, “I will present India’s perspective at the Summit in line with our vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and ‘One earth, One Family and One Future'”. He added that the meeting offers a chance to talk about major global challenges. This year’s G20 theme focuses on solidarity, equality and sustainability, continuing the work done in New Delhi and Rio de Janeiro.
PM Modi said he is eager to speak with leaders from partner countries, and also mentioned that he looks forward to meeting the Indian community in South Africa, which is among the largest Indian diasporas in the world.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Prime Minister is expected to address all three main sessions of the summit. These sessions will cover inclusive and sustainable economic growth, trade, development financing and the global debt challenge. The other discussions will focus on building a resilient world through disaster-risk reduction, climate action, energy transitions and food systems. The final session will look at creating a fair future for everyone, with topics such as critical minerals, decent work and artificial intelligence.
An MEA official said it is too early to say what the final leaders’ declaration will contain, but stressed that issues important to India and the Global South will be strongly presented by the Indian leadership.
Trump to skip G20, Leavitt says, ‘South African President running his mouth…’
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that the US will not take part in the official discussions at the G20 summit in South Africa. Instead, a representative from the US Embassy in South Africa will be present at the formal handover ceremony at the end of the summit in Johannesburg this weekend.
Leavitt said, “The United States is not participating in official talks at the G20 in South Africa. I saw the South African President running his mouth a little bit against the United States and @POTUS… and that language is not appreciated by @POTUS and his team.”
Earlier, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa said at an event that the US had changed its mind at the “11th hour” about boycotting the summit.
In a video shared on his X account, Ramaphosa also said, “Boycott politics does not work. It is better to be inside the tent that is G20, rather than outside the tent.”
