New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi after a three-day visit to South Africa, where he attended the G20 Summit and held a series of high-level engagements that reinforced India’s growing influence on the global stage. The visit featured intensive diplomatic outreach, with the prime minister participating in 24 meetings involving world leaders and key international organisations.
A strong focus on counter-terrorism shaped the summit’s outcomes. The G20 Leaders’ Declaration firmly condemned terrorism and stressed the importance of strengthening efforts to curb terror financing through the Financial Action Task Force framework. At the IBSA meeting, the prime minister called for unified action against terrorism, urging nations to avoid selective approaches. In a notable development, India and Italy unveiled a joint initiative aimed at deepening cooperation on tracking and disrupting terror-related financial networks.
Diplomacy was at the forefront throughout the visit, with the prime minister engaging in a packed schedule of discussions at the G20 and the revived IBSA Summit. He also joined a trilateral meeting with the leaders of Australia and Canada, which resulted in the announcement of a significant new partnership focused on future technologies.
Bilateral talks were held with leaders from 18 countries, including several G7 nations, covering areas such as economic cooperation, security, strategic growth and developmental priorities. The prime minister also held meetings with the heads of three major international organisations to further strengthen India’s global partnerships.
A major outcome of the trilateral meeting was the launch of the Australia–Canada–India Technology and Innovation Partnership. The initiative aims to deepen cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, strengthen supply chains in essential minerals, promote innovation in clean energy and explore the wider use of artificial intelligence for public benefit. Senior officials from the three countries will meet in early 2026 to advance the initiative.
The summit also reinforced India’s longstanding advocacy for the Global South. With the G20 being hosted in Africa for the first time, the prime minister highlighted the importance of inclusive development and equitable global growth. The visit concluded with his first in-person meeting with Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and discussed Japan’s support for India’s upcoming AI Summit in February 2026.
