G20: India again seeking to lead the Global South, but frictions with China are back
At last week's summit in Johannesburg, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a six-point agenda, ranging from coordination against drug trafficking and terrorism to a new framework for critical minerals, as well as regulations on artificial intelligence. Relations with Japan, Italy, and Canada have strengthened. But while New Delhi claims a central role for emerging economies, tensions with Beijing flared up again after yet another incident related to the disputed territory of Arunachal Pradesh.
Johannesburg (AsiaNews) – The latest G20 summit ended last Sunday in Johannesburg, South Africa, during which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented an ambitious agenda to strengthen India's role as a voice for the Global South.
The six proposed initiatives include an initiative on Countering the drug-terror Nexus, the creation of a Global Healthcare Response Team ready to respond to emergencies, and an Africa Skills Multiplier programme.
Modi also suggested setting up of a Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, an Open Satellite Data Partnership, and a Critical Minerals Circularity initiative
The summit's final communiqué, the Leaders’ Statement, announced the launch of a G20 Critical Minerals Framework, with the aim of using critical minerals to drive sustainable development and inclusive economic growth and ensure that producer countries, particularly those in the Global South, can maximise the benefits derived from their resources.
The statement emphasises that, in a rapidly transforming economy, demand for critical minerals is expected to increase and that the benefits associated with these resources are not yet fully realised.
Producer countries face challenges related to underinvestment, limited value addition and beneficiation, a lack of technologies, as well as socioeconomic and environmental issues.
Modi emphasised that strengthening the international community also requires more equitable representation of southern countries. As part of this, India has pushed for reform of the UN Security Council, calling for a broader and more representative composition.
In fact, the Leaders’ Declaration reads: “We pledge to reform the Security Council through a transformative reform that aligns it with the realities and demands of the 21st century. We call for an enlarged Security Council composition that improves the representation of the underrepresented and unrepresented regions and groups, such as Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Regarding technology, the Indian leader reiterated the need for a global compact on artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent abuse and distortions. Invoking the principles of human oversight, transparency, and “safety-by-design”, he called for strict limits on the use of AI in deepfakes, criminal activities, and terrorism. For India, AI management must remain human-centred, with verifiable systems and final decisions entrusted to people.
On a bilateral level, Modi has consolidated important relations with Japan, Italy, and Canada.
With Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (meeting Modi for the first time since taking office), priority sectors are innovation, defence, economic and talent exchanges, to be implemented through existing agreements, ranging from semiconductors to clean energy and artificial intelligence. Takaichi confirmed Japan's support for the AI Summit that India will host in 2026.
Together with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Modi announced a new joint initiative to counter-terrorist financing, and strengthening cooperation in international bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF).
The meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, described as "very productive," ended with cooperation agreements in the defence and space sectors and agreements on trade, investment, technology, energy, and training. Under Carney’s predecessor, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, relations between India and Canada were frosty.
In his closing speech, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the contributions of India, Brazil, and Indonesia in shaping the summit's agenda. The absence of the United States from the summit left more room for the so-called emerging powers.
While much of the Indian press praised India's role at the meeting, some commentators saw India's ambitions as a simple attempt to assert control over resources, particularly rare earths and new technologies. This position risks clashing with China's, despite the diplomatic rapprochement between New Delhi and Beijing in recent months.
Tensions between the two Asian neighbours have recently flared again due to a territorial dispute. Last week, a woman with an Indian passport travelling from the United Kingdom (where she resides) to Japan via Shanghai was detained at the city’s airport and questioned by Chinese immigration officials because her passport listed Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace.
Both India and China claim the territory, which Beijing calls "South Tibet" (Zàngnán).
The woman, interviewed by Indian media after she was released thanks to the intervention of consular officials, said that Chinese officials singled her out saying that her passport was invalid because Arunachal Pradesh is part of China, not India.
Relations between China and India, which had improved in recent months, now appear to be going in the opposite direction over certain unresolved issues.
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08/10/2025 15:32
