Johannesburg: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday joined the IBSA Leaders’ Meeting in Johannesburg, reiterating India’s strong commitment to advancing partnership within the India-Brazil-South Africa forum. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit and brought together PM Modi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
During the meeting, the three leaders reviewed ongoing initiatives under the IBSA framework, which continues to prioritise South-South cooperation, support reforms in global governance, and enhance coordination among developing nations.
The gathering followed a ministerial-level interaction in September, when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and South Africa’s Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga in New York during the UN General Assembly session.
At that meeting, the ministers agreed to expand the IBSA Fund—an internationally recognised South-South development model that has already supported 51 projects across 40 countries. They also reiterated a firm stand against terrorism, urging zero tolerance for all forms of extremism.
The ministers had additionally voiced concern over the growing use of unilateral tariffs and coercive economic measures, indirectly referencing recent US trade moves. They warned that such steps could destabilise global markets and argued that discriminatory trade barriers violate World Trade Organisation principles.
The leaders’ discussion in Johannesburg is expected to further strengthen the grouping’s collective voice on issues affecting the Global South, including economic equality, international security, and multilateral reforms.
