PM Modi’s G20 diplomacy continues as he holds marathon bilateral meetings with various leaders

By R Anil Kumar

Bengaluru. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meetings with several world leaders including Australian Prime Minister Anhtony Albanese, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg.

PM Modi’s G20 diplomacy:

PM Modi’s G20 diplomacy focused on positioning India as a key voice of the Global South. He held marathon bilateral meetings on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Johannesburg Under his leadership, India pushed for global economic reforms, stronger multilateral cooperation, and greater representation for developing nations.

PM meets Prime Minister of Australia on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Australia, H.E. Mr. Anthony Albanese met on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the deepening and diversification of cooperation between India and Australia in the last five years following elevation of the relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020. Prime Minster Albanese offered his solidarity on the recent terror attack in India. The leaders committed to strengthen the global fight against terrorism.

The two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas including political and strategic, defence and security, energy, trade and investment, critical minerals, technology, mobility, education and people-to-people linkages. The two Prime Ministers also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Both leaders acknowledged that the frequency of high-level contacts has imparted a strong momentum to bilateral relations. The two leaders renewed their commitment to take the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to even greater heights.

Prime Minister meets Prime Minister of Canada

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the Prime Minister of Canada, H.E. Mr. Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg to review progress in the India–Canada partnership.

The leaders welcomed the adoption of Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership which would give a boost to trilateral cooperation in the fields of critical technologies, nuclear energy, diversification of supply chains and AI. They appreciated the renewed momentum in ties since their June 2025 meeting in Kananaskis on the margins of the G7 Summit, and the launch of the New Roadmap for bilateral engagement by the Foreign Ministers in October 2025. The two Prime Ministers discussed cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, defence, education, space, science and technology, and energy. Prime Minister Carney expressed support for the AI Summit to be hosted by India in February 2026.

The leaders agreed to begin negotiations on a high-ambition Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), aimed at doubling bilateral trade to USD 50 billion by 2030. Both sides reaffirmed their longstanding civil nuclear cooperation and noted the ongoing discussions on expanding collaboration, including through long-term uranium supply arrangements.

The leaders emphasized the importance of regular high-level exchanges. Prime Minister extended an invitation to Prime Minister Carney to visit India.

Prime Minister Modi meets Prime Minister of Italy Ms. Giorgia Meloni

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also met with Her Excellency Ms. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of the Italian Republic on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Both leaders had interacted briefly on the sidelines of G7 Summit in Kananaskis in Canada earlier in June this year.

Prime Minister Meloni expressed solidarity with India on the terror incident in Delhi and reiterated Italy’s strong commitment to work together to combat the scourge of terrorism. In this context, both leaders adopted the ‘India-Italy Joint Initiative to Counter Financing of Terrorism’. The initiative aims to deepen bilateral cooperation on countering terrorism and collaboration in global and multilateral platforms including the Financial Action task Force( FATF) and the Global Counter terrorism Forum (GCTF).

The leaders reviewed and positively assessed the developments in the bilateral Strategic Partnership across sectors such as trade and investment, defence, security, space, science & technology, education, and people-to-people ties. Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress of the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29.

The leaders welcomed the two Business Fora held in New Delhi and Brescia this year with robust participation of the respective industries. The leaders noted the ongoing efforts to increase business, technology, innovation and investment partnerships aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of both economies and building resilient supply chains.

The leaders appreciated the recent visit of an Italian Space delegation to India, which would augment collaboration in this domain, both at the government as well as the private sector levels.

Prime Minister Meloni reiterated Italy’s strong support for the conclusion of a mutually beneficial India-EU Free Trade Agreement and for the success of the AI Impact Summit to be hosted by India in 2026.

The visit reaffirmed the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries. The two leaders looked forward to continuing their dialogue and work together in multilateral and global platforms for upholding their shared values of democracy, the rule of law and sustainable development.

Prime Minister meets the Prime Minister of Japan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Sanae Takaichi on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. This was Prime Minister’s first meeting with Prime Minister Takaichi after their telephone call on 29 October 2025.

The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, which is based on civilizational connect, shared values, mutual goodwill and commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The leaders underscored their commitment to deepening the India-Japan partnership for regional and global peace, prosperity and stability.

The leaders acknowledged the steady progress made in bilateral ties during the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit and called for expeditious implementation of the outcomes agreed upon in a wide range of areas such as defense and security, trade and investment, SMEs, Artificial Intelligence, critical minerals, semiconductors, infrastructure development, technology and innovation, and people- to-people exchanges. They also discussed collaborative opportunities between India and Japan in strategic sectors and exchanged views on regional and global issues. Prime Minister Takaichi expressed strong support for the AI Summit to be hosted by India in February 2026.

Both leaders emphasized that India and Japan remain valued partners and trusted friends. Strong ties between the two countries are indispensable for regional and global peace, prosperity, and stability.

The leaders agreed to stay in touch and meet again at the earliest opportunity.

The G20 Summit 2025 in Johannesburg proved that the Global South can lead on the world stage. By securing a declaration, launching initiatives like Mission 300, and facilitating partnerships like ACITI, South Africa’s presidency delivered outcomes despite challenges.

For India, the summit validated its “Friend of the World” diplomatic strategy. By navigating geopolitical tensions while engaging both Western and emerging economies, India positioned itself as a bridge in a polarized world. The launch of technology partnerships and counter terrorism initiatives demonstrates India’s capability to shape new institutional architectures serving its interests.