India to highlight important matters relevant from Global South perspectives at G20: MEA official

New Delhi, Nov 20 (PTI) Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's South Africa visit for the G20 Summit, an MEA top official Thursday said he would not like to prejudge what will figure in the leaders' declaration, but all important matters relevant from the perspective of India and the Global South will be "highlighted by our leadership".

This will be the fourth consecutive summit of the grouping that will be held in the Global South. Also, this was the first time the G20 Leaders' Summit was being held on the African continent.

During the G20 Summit in 2023 in New Delhi, the African Union became a permanent member of the group of 20 largest economies of the world, with Prime Minister Modi announcing its entry into the grouping.

South Africa currently holds the presidency of the influential bloc, and the summit is being held in Johannesburg.

Modi will visit Johannesburg from November 21 to 23 to attend the 20th G20 Leaders' Summit hosted by South Africa. On the margins of the summit, the prime minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with some of the leaders present in Johannesburg.

"We are working out the details of these bilateral meetings," Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (Economic Relations), MEA, told reporters at a media briefing here.

This will be PM Modi's fourth official visit to South Africa, following his bilateral visit in 2016 and later for the two BRICS summits in 2018 and 2023.

"This is the first G20 summit that will be happening on African soil and, in that context, will bring the spotlight on the development issues of Africa, as also of the Global South," Dalela said.

G20 members include the world's major economies, representing 85 per cent of global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade, and two-thirds of the world's population, according to the website of the G20 under the South African presidency.

It comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the UK, the US, the European Union, and the African Union.

South Africa, under its overall presidency theme of 'Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability', has identified four key priority areas for its G20 presidency this year.

Asked if pressing global issues such as terrorism would be raised by India at the Summit, Dalela said, "This is, of course, a very important subject for us." "But, G20 is a forum where you discuss mainly economic issues and related matters; and as we speak, we are discussing the declaration for the Summit. Our colleagues and teams are in Johannesburg, and all such issues are being discussed," he added.

"So I would not like to prejudge what will come in the declaration, but all important matters that are relevant from our perspective, from the Global South's perspective, will be highlighted by our leadership," the MEA official said.

Prior to South Africa, the G20 presidencies were held by Brazil (2024), India (2023) and Indonesia (2022).

The successive presidencies of the G20 in the Global South countries have "given us an opportunity to really, while discussing all issues, pay more attention to issues of importance to the Global South".

"So we are very happy that in the course of discussion, throughout the year, in ministerial tracks, several of the priorities that we have highlighted during our presidency, whether it's DPI (digital public architecture) or whether it is food security or whether it's debt sustainability issues, have been captured in various documentation, adopted during ministerial tracks.

"I'm confident that as our team finalises the Summit declaration document, some of them will find reference there also," Dalela said.

In the last few years, India has been positioning itself as a leading voice flagging concerns, challenges and aspirations of the Global South or the developing nations, especially the African continent.

On reports suggesting that US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin won't be attending the Summit, the official said, "All of you are aware of the debate in the media, and the information available in the public domain about the participation of various members of G20. So that is for not for me to comment." PTI KND NSD NSD