'Special' summit: PM Narendra Modi begins SA visit to attend G20 meet

In a departure statement before leaving for Johannesburg, Prime Minister Modi backed South Africa's G20 agenda and stressed continuity of Global South priorities

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi left New Delhi for Johannesburg on Friday morning to attend the G20 summit, he said South Africa has carried forward the outcomes from the previous summits, especially those held in New Delhi in 2023 and Rio de Janeiro in 2024. This year’s G20 theme is ‘solidarity, equality and sustainability.’

 

The PM's statement comes even as the Donald Trump administration has slammed South Africa's G20 agenda. The US President has sent junior officials to attend it, even as he himself is boycotting it.

 

Modi is scheduled to speak during all the three plenary sessions at the summit over the weekend.

 

In his departure statement, he said that he will present India’s perspective at the summit “in line with our vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and ‘one earth, one family and one future’.”

 

“This will be a particularly special summit given that it would be the first G20 summit being held in Africa,” Modi said.

 

He added that it was during India’s presidency of the G20 in 2023 that the African Union had become a permanent member.

 

The PM said he is looking forward to interacting with leaders of partner countries, and participation in the 6th India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) summit scheduled on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

 

The PM will also interact with the Indian diaspora in South Africa, which he said is one of the largest outside India.

 

This is the PM’s fourth official visit to South Africa, following his bilateral visit in 2016, and later during the two BRICS summits in 2018 and 2023.

 

“It is also the first G20 summit taking place on African soil, and in that context will bring the spotlight on development issues of Africa as also of the Global South,” a top Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official said on Thursday.

 

India has termed the summit’s agenda as "important" as it ensures “continuity of its priorities in the G20.”

 

These include important matters such as accelerating progress on sustainable development goals (SDGs), reform of global institutions of governance, tackling environmental and climate challenges, tech sustainability, bridging the digital divide and energy transition, among others, the official said.

 

Under their overall presidency theme of solidarity, equality and sustainability, South Africa has identified four key areas for its G20 presidency this year. These are strengthening disaster resilience and response, debt sustainability for low-income countries, mobilising finance for just energy transition, and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

 

The Johannesburg G20 summit will mark the culmination of the first cycle of 20 G20 presidencies.

 

The priorities identified by South Africa are aligned with those of India's G20 presidency and that of Brazil. This ensures continuity in the G20 discussions from the perspective of matters that are important to Global South, the official said.

 

The Indian G20 presidency has established a disaster risk reduction working group and the South African presidency has carried forward the important work related to disaster risk reduction and resilience.

 

Similarly, through the task force on food security, the South African presidency has carried forward the dialogue on this important challenge as well, the official said.

 

Given that the US, which will host the next G20 summit, has warned South Africa to not issue a declaration, the top MEA official said that he would not like to prejudge what would figure in the leaders' declaration. However, all important matters relevant to India and the Global South will be “highlighted by our leadership.”