Modi Begins Three-Day Visit To South Africa For G20 Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi set off for South Africa on Friday for a three-day visit to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg. Ahead of his departure, he said India would present its views rooted in the ideals of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and the theme “One Earth, One Family and One Future.”

This year’s summit is the first time the G20 is meeting on African soil. Modi highlighted this in a post on X, saying, "Will be attending the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. 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."

The Prime Minister is expected to hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines. He will also participate in the sixth IBSA Summit during his stay in Johannesburg.

In his departure statement, he 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’".

Modi is visiting South Africa from November 22–23 at the invitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa for the 20th G20 Summit under South Africa’s Presidency. Calling it a special moment, he noted, "This will be a particularly special Summit given that it would be the first G20 Summit being held in Africa. During India’s Presidency of the G20 in 2023, the African Union had become a member of the G20."

He said the meeting would offer an important opportunity to address major global challenges. South Africa has shaped its G20 theme around “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability,” continuing discussions from earlier summits in New Delhi and Rio de Janeiro.

Modi added, "I look forward to my interactions with leaders of the partner countries, and participation in the 6th IBSA Summit scheduled on the sidelines of the Summit." He also said he was eager to meet the Indian community in South Africa, describing it as “one of the largest outside India.”

The Ministry of External Affairs said Modi is expected to speak in all three formal sessions. These include discussions on inclusive economic growth, trade, financing for development, disaster risk reduction, climate change, energy transitions, food systems, critical minerals, decent work and artificial intelligence.

An MEA official said he would not speculate on what the leaders’ declaration may include but stressed that issues important for India and the Global South would be “highlighted by our leadership.”

This marks the fourth consecutive G20 summit hosted in the Global South, following Indonesia in 2022, India in 2023 and Brazil in 2024. During the New Delhi summit last year, the African Union became a permanent member of the G20.

The grouping represents major world economies and accounts for 85 per cent of global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade and two-thirds of the global population. Its members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the UK, the US, the European Union and the African Union.

With PTI inputs