PM Modi to attend G20 summit in South Africa amid US boycott

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, from November 21 to 23, 2025, marking a major diplomatic moment amid a complete boycott of the summit by the United States. This will be the first time the G20 summit is held on African soil, underscoring the growing importance of the Global South in global economic governance.

Modi’s participation comes as US President Donald Trump has ordered no American officials to attend, citing contentious claims against South Africa. Trump’s boycott follows his imposition of tariffs on South African goods and accusations of discrimination against white Afrikaners, which the South African government has strongly rejected. Despite this, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed that the summit will proceed and called the US absence "America’s loss."

At the summit, Modi is expected to actively engage in key sessions on inclusive economic growth, trade financing, disaster resilience, climate change, governance of critical minerals, and the future framework for artificial intelligence. India will emphasise its leadership in renewable energy expansion, transparent critical minerals supply chains, and safe, development-oriented AI regulations. Modi will also join the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Leaders' Meeting, reinforcing trilateral cooperation among three major democracies of the Global South.