Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the G20 Leaders’ Summit hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Johannesburg on Saturday, marking his 12th appearance at a G20 Summit. Addressing both sessions on the opening day, he thanked President Ramaphosa for his warm hospitality and the successful organisation of the event. Speaking at the session on “Inclusive and sustainable economic growth leaving no one behind”, he lauded the South African presidency for advancing work on skilled migration, tourism, food security, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, innovation and women empowerment, while also noting that several historic decisions from the New Delhi Summit were being carried forward.
Emphasising that the G20 was meeting on African soil for the first time, he said it was important to reshape the parameters of development to reduce global imbalances and protect the environment. He highlighted India’s civilizational philosophy of Integral Humanism, which focuses on harmony between progress and the planet, and urged member nations to consider its relevance in steering future global development.
Elaborating India’s vision for growth and well-being that includes all, Prime Minister Modi proposed expanding collaboration in areas such as traditional knowledge, healthcare, critical minerals, satellite data access, capacity building in Africa and coordinated action against the drug-terror nexus, underlining that these would help secure long-term peace, resilience and sustainable development. At the second session on “A Resilient World — G20 Contribution to Disaster Risk Reduction; Climate Change; Just Energy Transition; Food Systems”, he welcomed the continuation of the Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group initiated during India’s presidency and stressed that disaster resilience must be development-centric rather than response-centric, citing the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure as a model.
He also called for enhanced collective action to tackle climate challenges and strengthen food security, drawing attention to the role of millets in promoting nutrition and environmental sustainability. Referring to the Deccan Principles on Food Security adopted under India’s presidency, he said they should guide the creation of a comprehensive G20 roadmap on food systems.
The Prime Minister reiterated India’s strong belief in amplifying the voice of the Global South within global governance structures. He described the permanent membership of the African Union in the G20 — achieved at the New Delhi Summit — as a historic step and emphasised that this spirit of inclusivity must extend beyond the grouping to shape the future of world governance.
