NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Johannesburg on Friday to a vibrant cultural welcome featuring folk performances representing India’s diversity. Rhythms of a United India, a programme presented by members of the Indian community, showcased traditional dances from 11 Indian states, setting a colourful tone for the PM’s arrival.
Soon after his arrival, Modi held a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart, where the two leaders discussed regional cooperation and ongoing strategic initiatives.
At the hotel, Modi was greeted by a group of children who recited a prayer, followed by performances from local artists highlighting cultural traditions from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The event reflected the diaspora’s continued efforts to preserve cultural ties with India.
Modi expressed appreciation for the reception, saying he was “deeply touched by the warm welcome from the Indian community in Johannesburg,” noting that the affection symbolised the “enduring bond between India and South Africa,” a relationship grounded in historical links and shared values.
Ahead of his departure for the G20 Summit, Modi said the gathering would provide an important platform to discuss key global issues. "The Summit will be an opportunity to discuss key global issues. The theme of this year’s G20 has been ‘Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability’, by which South Africa has carried forward the outcomes from the previous Summits held in New Delhi, India and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I will present India’s perspective at the Summit in line with our vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and 'One Earth, One Family and One Future,'" Modi said.
The summit opened amid diplomatic tensions following the Trump administration’s clarification that the United States was not ending its boycott of the Johannesburg meeting. South Africa had earlier hoped that Washington would rejoin discussions, a claim strongly refuted by the White House. “The United States is not participating in official talks at the G20 in South Africa,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. A White House official also criticised South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, cautioning him against “running his mouth” about the U.S. and President Donald Trump.
Earlier, Washington had sent a diplomatic note to the South African government confirming its participation in Sunday’s G20 handover ceremony, which will be led by U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in South Africa Marc Dillard and an eight-member delegation, diplomatic sources said. The United States is the next host of the summit.
South Africa responded by stating it would not hand over the G20 presidency to what it described as a “junior” American official at the close of the summit. Despite the absence of the US participation, diplomatic sources confirmed that G20 envoys had reached a draft leaders’ declaration ahead of the weekend deliberations.