Narendra Modi Lights Up Johannesburg: Highlights from the G20 Summit 2025

During his visit to Johannesburg for the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described his participation as “fruitful”, emphasising that his discussions and engagements with global leaders were particularly “productive”.

Here’s how the narrative unfolded, highlighting key themes, initiatives and India’s vision for the future.

From the podium: A new development narrative

Modi used his address at the summit to push for a reimagined model of growth. He argued that the conventional parameters of development have left many communities behind and have led to the over-exploitation of nature.

He introduced the idea of “integral humanism” — a development framework where individuals, society and nature are viewed as a unified system.

Major initiatives proposed on the global stage

Several bold proposals emerged from his speech:

Dismantling the drug-terror nexus: Modi called for a coordinated global effort, pointing out how drug trafficking threatens public health, security and finances terrorism. He urged strengthening of finance, governance and security instruments against this menace.
‘G20–Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative’: With a focus on Africa’s youth, Modi proposed training one million certified trainers across the continent over the next decade — via a “train-the-trainer” model — to build local capabilities and generate jobs.
Global repository of traditional knowledge: A nod to indigenous wisdom, he suggested creating a global database to preserve and share traditional knowledge across generations.
Global health response team: In light of increasing disasters and pandemics, he proposed a dedicated global response force to act swiftly during natural disasters and health emergencies.
‘G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative’: Addressing the supply chains in clean-energy transition, he recommended innovations like recycling, urban mining and second-life batteries for critical minerals.
‘G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership’: To benefit agriculture, fisheries and disaster management — especially in the Global South — Modi suggested making satellite data more accessible among G20 nations.

Why this matters — and for whom

For the Global South: Modi emphasised that giving the Global South a stronger voice in global governance is critical, and welcomed the African Union’s inclusion in the G20 as a step in that direction.
For India-Africa ties: With the summit being the first G20 hosted on African soil, and India’s renewed focus on Africa via initiatives like the skills multiplier, this visit underlines the continent’s growing importance to India.
For climate, disaster resilience and technology: Linking disaster preparedness with sustainable agriculture, nutrition and public health signals a shift from reactionary responses to proactive development. Modi’s emphasis on circularity in minerals and satellite data also underscores India’s intent to lead in green tech and data-driven agriculture.

The personal engagements: Leader-to-leader conversations

On the margins of the summit, Modi held bilateral meetings with some key world leaders including Giorgia Meloni (Italy), Lula da Silva (Brazil), Anwar Ibrahim (Malaysia) and Emmanuel Macron (France).

These interactions reflect India’s diplomatic strategy of deepening multilateral ties while simultaneously elevating India’s standing in global conversations.

Context and significance

India, Brazil and Indonesia have held the last three G20 presidencies — a sign of the shifting global landscape where developing nations are increasingly taking centre stage. The 2025 Johannesburg summit is especially symbolic as it is the first G20 hosted on the African continent.

For India, this visit marks Modi’s fourth official trip to South Africa — underlining the evolving India-South Africa relationship and broader India–Africa engagement.

Looking forward: What to watch

Implementation of proposals: The real test will be how the announced initiatives — such as the skills multiplier in Africa, the global health response team and critical-minerals circularity — move from concept to action.
India’s leadership role: As India promotes global frameworks (for example, for satellite data or traditional knowledge) it will be interesting to see whether it positions itself as a convenor of the Global South and emerging economies.
Diplomatic ripple effects: Modi’s bilateral meetings may yield memoranda of understanding, investment deals or cooperation frameworks in coming weeks.
Global governance shift: The inclusion of the African Union in G20 deliberations and the focus on Africa signal a who-will-be-at-the-table change in world affairs; India is clearly positioning itself in that evolving arena.

In conclusion

Prime Minister Modi’s address and engagements at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg reflect a broader vision — one that goes beyond traditional development models and champions inclusivity, sustainability and a world that listens to and invests in the Global South. It’s a narrative of hope and ambition, but its success will depend on translation into tangible action.

Narendra Modi Lights Up Johannesburg: Highlights from the G20 Summit 2025