Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a three-day visit to Johannesburg, South Africa, from 21 to 23 November to participate in the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit. The visit marks another milestone in India’s active engagement with global governance mechanisms and consolidates its leadership role among emerging economies.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), this year’s summit, hosted by South Africa, is the fourth consecutive G20 meeting to be held in the Global South, reflecting the growing influence of developing nations in shaping international economic and political frameworks.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will preside over the gathering at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg from 22 to 23 November.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address all three principal sessions of the Summit. His interventions will cover a wide spectrum of issues including inclusive and sustainable economic growth, trade, financing for development, and global debt vulnerabilities. India’s approach aims to build consensus around equitable financial restructuring and resilient economic models benefiting all nations, particularly those in the developing world.

The second session, titled A Resilient World – the G20’s Contribution, will focus on climate change, disaster risk reduction, just energy transitions, and food system security. India is expected to present its initiatives on green energy expansion, resilient infrastructure, and disaster preparedness drawn from ongoing national programmes such as the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

The final session, A Fair and Just Future for All, will examine critical minerals, decent employment, and the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI).

Prime Minister Modi is likely to highlight India’s policies on digital inclusion, data ethics, and responsible AI development while underscoring the need for global frameworks that ensure fairness and transparency in technological governance.

On the margins of the Summit, Modi will hold bilateral discussions with several world leaders, aimed at enhancing cooperation across the economic, technological, and defence domains. He will also attend the India–Brazil–South Africa (IBSA) Leaders’ Meeting, a trilateral mechanism that predates BRICS and remains significant for South–South collaboration. The IBSA forum is expected to deliberate on trade, capacity building, and reform of multilateral institutions.

The 20th G20 Summit takes place under an unusual circumstance — the absence of the United States. Former President Donald Trump, who returned to office earlier this year, declared that no American government official would attend the Johannesburg meeting. He cited alleged human rights abuses against the Afrikaner community in South Africa as the reason for the boycott, calling the Summit “a total disgrace” in a post on Truth Social.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier confirmed Washington’s withdrawal from the event, reinforcing the administration’s stance.

This has raised questions about the continuity of American engagement in multilateral economic forums. Nevertheless, South African High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, stated that the G20 remains “too big to fail” and asserted that the forum’s functioning no longer depends on any single nation’s participation.

The G20 comprises 19 individual nations and two regional blocs—the European Union and the African Union—representing about 85 per cent of global GDP, more than 75 per cent of international trade, and nearly two-thirds of the world’s population. This year’s summit agenda centres on reforming global economic governance, renewing commitments to sustainable growth, and advancing equitable energy transitions.

For India, this South Africa-hosted summit offers an opportunity to sustain the momentum generated during its own G20 presidency in 2023. New Delhi is expected to push forward priorities set during its tenure, such as digital public infrastructure, inclusive financing, and climate-positive development pathways.

With the United States absent from proceedings, the Johannesburg G20 meeting assumes added importance for emerging economies seeking to redefine the architecture of global decision-making and ensure that the multilateral order reflects contemporary geopolitical and economic realities.

Based On ANI Report