Prime Minister Narendra Modi set off for Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday to participate in the first-ever G20 summit hosted on the African continent, where discussions will centre on India’s priorities and the concerns of the Global South.
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. https://t.co/Sn4NFUOzXB
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 21, 2025
This year’s summit continues the trend of Global South leadership, marking the fourth consecutive G20 presidency following those of Indonesia (2022), India (2023), and Brazil (2024). PM Modi will be in South Africa from November 21 to 23, making it his fourth official visit to the country after a bilateral trip in 2016 and his participation in the BRICS summits of 2018 and 2023.
Briefing the media, Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (ER) at the Ministry of External Affairs, emphasised the significance of the platform. He noted that previous G20 sessions witnessed consensus-building and the launch of pilot initiatives addressing issues vital to developing nations.
“We are very happy that these discussions have carried forward under the presidency of Brazil and, of course, in South Africa under four verticals that South Africa has outlined for their own presidency,” he said. “A number of achievements have been made throughout the year across various tracks in these areas. So we are very happy that the issues of importance to the Global South are at the centre of discussion and are being highlighted.”
The G20 represents 85% of global GDP and 75% of global trade, and this year’s agenda aligns with South Africa’s presidency theme of “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.”
Dalela also noted that preparations are underway for several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit. He highlighted the strong ties between India and South Africa, saying both democracies work closely through a cooperation framework built on three pillars, including political cooperation.
The African Union, which became a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency in 2023, is also expected to play a significant role in shaping key summit deliberations.
