On Friday morning, November 21, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Johannesburg, South Africa, to attend the first-ever G20 Summit to be held on African soil. Prior to leaving for his three-day visit, Prime Minister Modi declared that he would continue to advocate for the Global South’s priorities and offer India’s viewpoint at the summit “in line with our vision.”
PM Modi described the event as “particularly special” in his farewell remarks because it is the first G20 Summit to be hosted by an African country. He recalled that the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the group during India’s G20 Presidency in 2023, calling it a “historic step” towards improving the forum’s inclusivity and representation.
The G20 will discuss global economic recovery, sustainable development, digital transformation, climate action, and reforms in multilateral institutions. The prime minister is anticipated to attend several of these sessions. India is likely to highlight issues like climate finance, resilient supply chains, digital public infrastructure, and assistance for developing countries.
PM Modi will also attend the sixth IBSA Summit, a trilateral gathering of South Africa, Brazil, and India, on the fringes of the G20. In addition to exchanging opinions on significant regional and global developments, the leaders are anticipated to talk about cooperation in trade, investment, technology, energy, and people-to-people ties.
In order to strengthen India’s strategic, economic, and cultural alliances, PM Modi is also expected to have bilateral meetings with a number of world leaders while he is in Johannesburg.
At a time when the continent’s role in global governance is expanding quickly, the visit is seen as a crucial opportunity for New Delhi to strengthen its position as a voice of the Global South, build on the results of its own G20 Presidency, and further deepen India-Africa engagement.
