India's influence was strongly evident in the G20 South African Summit Leaders' Declaration, reflecting key priorities from its 2023 G20 Presidency and amplifying Global South concerns.

The declaration prominently condemned terrorism "in all its forms and manifestations," marking a firm global stance aligned with India’s push since the Pahalgam terror attack. This condemnation is regarded as one of the strongest reiterated at the summit.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), where India is a global leader, received clear recognition, along with commitments reaffirming the harnessing of digital and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

The need for safe, secure, trustworthy AI that respects human rights, transparency, fairness, and accountability was reiterated, emphasising international cooperation and inclusion of voices from both developed and developing countries.

Women-led development, a significant outcome of India's G20 presidency, was strongly encouraged, with an emphasis on empowerment and removing socio-economic barriers for gender equality. The declaration condemned all forms of discrimination and gender-based violence against women and girls, reaffirming commitments to end such violence in all spheres, including public, private, online, and offline.

Disaster resilience and response, prioritized by the South African presidency but building directly on initiatives launched during India's tenure, were prominently reinforced. The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), a joint India-France initiative, received explicit recognition, highlighting sustainable disaster preparedness financing and policy-making.

On food security, the declaration reaffirmed the Deccan High-Level Principles on Food Security and Nutrition, originally adopted under India’s presidency, stressing the right to be free from hunger and the need to address global challenges of hunger and unhealthy diets.

Traditional and complementary medicine's potential role in health systems was acknowledged, echoing India’s commitments from the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration. Emphasis was placed on strengthening health systems and investing in inclusive, sustainable health coverage.

Climate finance received notably ambitious language, recognising the urgent need to scale up investment from billions to trillions, with developing countries requiring an estimated $5.8-5.9 trillion by 2030 to meet their nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement.

Additionally, the declaration supported reform of the United Nations Security Council to be more representative and inclusive, addressing underrepresented regions such as Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean—a key demand from India.

The document also embraced sustainable production and consumption, mainstreaming India's Lifestyles for Sustainable Development (LiFE) initiative and reinforcing the importance of equitable energy transitions. Throughout the declaration, language from India's New Delhi Leaders' Declaration strongly resonated, showcasing India's continuing influence on global priorities, particularly for the Global South.​

Based On ANI Report