Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa, from 21-23 November 2025 for the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit, marking yet another high-profile engagement on the global stage for India. Hosted by the Republic of South Africa under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability”, this will be the first G20 Summit ever held on African soil and the fourth consecutive Leaders’ Summit hosted by a nation from the Global South — following Indonesia (2022), India (2023), and Brazil (2024).
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the Prime Minister’s visit on November 19, noting that PM Modi will actively put forth India’s perspectives across the entire G20 agenda. He is scheduled to deliver remarks in all three plenary sessions of the Summit:
- Inclusive and sustainable economic growth, trade financing, and reducing inequality
- Building a resilient world – focusing on disaster risk reduction, climate change, just energy transitions, and food systems
- A fair and just future for all – covering critical minerals, decent work, and the governance of artificial intelligence
India is expected to emphasise its proven leadership in renewable energy expansion, transparent and diversified supply chains for critical minerals, and the need for safe, inclusive, and development-oriented frameworks for artificial intelligence.
On the sidelines, Prime Minister Modi will hold several bilateral meetings with participating world leaders and will also join the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Leaders’ Meeting, reinforcing cooperation among the three vibrant democracies of the Global South.
The Johannesburg Summit comes at a pivotal moment. South Africa’s presidency has placed Africa’s development priorities front and centre, building on the momentum created when the African Union was granted permanent G20 membership during India’s 2023 presidency. With the United States announcing a full boycott of the event and several other leaders sending lower-level representation, the gathering underscores the growing influence of emerging economies in shaping global economic governance.
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