Congress' Jairam Ramesh claims PM Modi attends G20 in Johannesburg 'safely' due to Trump's boycott over South Africa's 'anti-American' themes; skipped ASEAN meet to avoid Trump face-off
Questions revival of 'hugplomacy' at next US G20 amid Trump's 61 claims on 'halting Operation Sindoor'; trade deal tensions loom as Trump eyes Florida hosting
South Africa presses on with consensus despite US snub; Modi to push 'One Earth' vision and IBSA talks, as opposition highlights diplomatic strains
PM Modi Attends G20 'Safely' Because Trump Boycotting It: Congress
US President Donald Trump had chosen to boycott the event, and questioned if their signature "hugplomacy" would revive at the next summit in America.
Summary
Congress on Friday took a sharp dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his attendance at the G20 Summit in South Africa, claiming he was participating "safely and securely" only because US President Donald Trump had chosen to boycott the event, and questioned if their signature "hugplomacy" would revive at the next summit in America.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh highlighted Modi's three-day visit to Johannesburg for the November 21-22 summit, noting the US absence amid Trump's criticism of South Africa's themes of solidarity, equality, and sustainability as "anti-American." Ramesh quipped that Modi skipped the recent India-ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur to avoid a face-to-face with Trump, and speculated on the upcoming US-hosted G20: "But if, over the past seven months, President Trump has claimed 61 times that he halted Operation Sindoor, imagine how many more times he will repeat those claims in the next twelve months. Will hugplomacy with 'my good friend' be revived, or will there be just handshakes, or will Mr. Modi doesn't go—time alone will tell."
The jibe references strained India-US ties under Trump's second term, including his repeated assertions of brokering peace in a fictional "Operation Sindoor" (likely alluding to past India-Pakistan tensions), and ongoing trade negotiations. Trump announced the boycott earlier in November over discredited claims of human rights abuses against white Afrikaners in South Africa, though the US later sent Acting Ambassador Marc D. Dillard after a U-turn.
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