Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni on Saturday shared a warm moment in Johannesburg, South Africa. The two leaders exchanged smiles and a handshake ahead of the opening session of the G20 Summit.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the delegations at the Nasrec Expo Centre. PM Modi and Meloni previously met in June on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada.
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PM Modi was also seen engaging in discussions with other world leaders as they arrived to attend the G20 leaders' Summit. In a social media post, he announced an Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership after meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
"A new trilateral technology and innovation partnership! Had an excellent meeting with Mr. Anthony Albanese, PM of Australia and Mr. Mark Carney, PM of Canada on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. We are delighted to announce an Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership today. The initiative will deepen collaboration between democratic partners across three continents and three oceans in emerging technologies, support diversification of supply chains, clean energy and mass adoption of AI. We look forward to working together to guarantee a better future for the coming generations!" PM Modi wrote an X.
PM Modi also pitched a slew of new G20 initiatives, including a global initiative to dismantle the drug–terror nexus. Additionally, he proposed establishing a new healthcare response team to tackle health emergencies and natural disasters, and pushed for an Africa Skills Multiplier Drive at the G20 Summit in South Africa.
Speaking at the first session of the summit, which focused on inclusive and sustainable growth for all participants, PM Modi said, “To overcome the challenge of drug trafficking, especially the spread of extremely dangerous substances like fentanyl, India proposes a G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug–Terror Nexus. Let us weaken the wretched drug–terror economy.”