As Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Johannesburg on Friday to attend the G20 Leaders' Summit, being held under South Africa’s Presidency, he was accorded a unique traditional welcome by the cultural performance troupe.
Upon his arrival at Waterkloof Air Force Base (AFB) in Gauteng, the performers, dressed in traditional attires, got down on the ground and welcomed the prime minister with folded hands and heads bowed down, as a visible show of respect.
The artists also performed cultural song and dances during his welcome.
"Landed in Johannesburg for the G20 Summit related engagements. Look forward to productive discussions with world leaders on key global issues. Our focus will be on strengthening cooperation, advancing development priorities and ensuring a better future for all," PM Modi said in a social media post.
This is the first G20 Summit being held in Africa. The African Union became a member of the G20 during India’s presidency in 2023.
On the margins of the summit, the prime minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with some of the leaders present in Johannesburg. He will also attend the 6th summit of IBSA - a trilateral grouping of India, Brazil and South Africa.
"Will be attending the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is a particularly special Summit as it is being held in Africa. Various global issues will be discussed there. Will be meeting various world leaders during the Summit," Modi posted on social media before departure.
"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,'" he said.
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 and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he added.
"During the visit, I also look forward to my interaction with the Indian diaspora in South Africa, which is one of the largest outside India," he added.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to speak in all three sessions of the G20 Summit.
This will be the fourth consecutive summit of the grouping that will be held in the Global South.
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are not attending the summit.
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