New Delhi/Johannesburg: Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Johannesburg on Friday for a three-day visit to participate in the G20 Leaders’ Summit, emphasising that India will articulate its worldview rooted in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the idea of a shared global community—and the guiding theme One Earth, One Family, One Future.
This year’s summit is historic, marking the first time the G20 convenes on African soil. Writing on X before his departure, the Prime Minister called the gathering “particularly special,” noting that it offers an opportunity to engage world leaders on urgent international challenges.
Modi is visiting South Africa from November 21 to 23 at the invitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose country is hosting the 20th G20 Summit. The meeting comes a year after India, during its presidency, championed the inclusion of the African Union into the grouping—an expansion that was formalised in New Delhi.
In his departure statement, the Prime Minister said he intends to present India’s approach to global cooperation while reinforcing the principles that shaped last year’s presidency. He highlighted that South Africa’s theme—Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability—builds on outcomes from summits in New Delhi and Rio de Janeiro.
On the sidelines, Modi is expected to hold several bilateral meetings and take part in the sixth IBSA (India–Brazil–South Africa) Summit. He also said he looks forward to engaging with the vibrant Indian community in South Africa, which is among the largest overseas Indian populations.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Prime Minister will address all three thematic sessions of the summit. The agenda spans inclusive economic recovery, global financial stability, climate transitions, disaster resilience, food systems, the future of work, artificial intelligence, and access to critical minerals.
A senior MEA official said that India will underscore issues central to developing nations, adding that the final declaration will reflect the priorities of the Global South without pre-empting negotiated outcomes.
This will be the fourth G20 summit in a row hosted in the Global South, following Indonesia, India, and Brazil. The bloc represents the world’s largest economies, collectively accounting for the bulk of global GDP, trade, and population.
Members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union and the African Union.
