G - 20 Summit 2025

About G - 20

● The G-20 or Group of Twenty is an international forum formed in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues.

● The G-20 was later upgraded to the level of Heads of State/Government and was designated the “premier forum for international economic cooperation”.

● Since 2011, the G-20 Summit has been held annually, under the leadership of a rotating Presidency.

● It includes 19 world’s largest economies comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States along and two regional bodies the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU).

● Spain has been the permanent invitee of G-20 since 2010.

● The G-20 represents 85% of global GDP, 75% of world trade and two-thirds of global population.

● The G-20 does not have a charter or a secretariat. Agenda and the work coordination is completed by G-20 leaders' personal representatives known as Sherpas together with finance ministers and central bank governors.

G - 20 Johannesburg Summit, 2025

● The G-20 Summit 2025was held on 22 - 23 November 2025 at Johannesburg, South Africa. It was the 20th meeting of the G-20 and the first ever summit hosted on the African continent.

● The theme of the Summit was “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability,” focusing on collective efforts for inclusive growth, fair global development and environmental responsibility.

● The United States boycotted the G-20 Summit 2025 primarily due to objections over South Africa’s land reform policies. The Trump administration accused South Africa of persecuting its white minority, alleging violence and forced land seizures of white farmers under the guise of land reform.

● Chinese President Xi Jinping was also absent from the summit.

Key Outcomes

● A 122 point Leaders’ Declaration was adopted, addressing climate finance, food security, digital transformation, debt sustainability, responsible AI governance and critical minerals for industrial development.

● The summit reaffirmed the importance of multilateralism and cooperation despite global uncertainties, placing the Global South and Africa at the center of global economic discussions.

● The declaration prioritised adaptation finance, renewable energy expansion, and support for vulnerable countries facing climate-induced disasters.

● The summit included discussions on ongoing conflicts and called for peace in Ukraine, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Palestine but contained limited binding resolutions due to geopolitical divisions.

● Developing nations emphasised inequality in Global Financial Architecture, the burden of crippling debts, high interest rates and limited climate finance, demanding systemic reforms.

● The G-20 Troika (past, present and next presidents) for 2024-26 consists of Brazil (past president), South Africa (current president) and the United States (incoming president). This Troika system ensures continuity and coordination of the G-20 agenda across presidencies.

● South Africa also hosted the India Brazil South Africa (IBSA) Leaders’ Meeting alongside the G-20 Summit. IBSA has been asserting its identity as the coalition of democracies within the Global South.

India’s Stance

● India launched a new trilateral framework (ACITI Partnership (Australia-Canada-India Technology & Innovation) for cooperation in critical technologies, AI, supply chains and clean energy.

● India proposed a G-20 Drug-Terror Nexus initiative for addressing narcotics financing of terrorism particularly synthetic drugs like fentanyl.

● India also proposed a G-20 Africa Skills Multiplier to train local talent, a Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, a Global Healthcare Response Team, an Open Satellite Data Partnership for agriculture and disaster management and a Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative .

● India and Italy launched a Joint Initiative to Counter Financing of Terrorism to stop terror funding, working together with global bodies like FATF.

● PM Narendra Modi also had a bilateral meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa covering cooperation in trade, critical minerals, technology, skills development, and artificial intelligence.

● Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that UN Security Council reform is “no longer an option, but a necessity,” signaling coordinated advocacy for permanent seats in UNSC representing Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Note:

Difference between G - 7 and G - 20

The Group of Seven (G - 7) and Group of Twenty (G - 20) are informal governance clubs which hold annual Summits of Head of the States/Head of Governments to discuss issues of Global Importance.

● G-7 is an informal grouping of the seven of the world’s advanced economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and USA. In addition the European Union (EU) is a non enumerated i.e., non mentioned member. India is not its member.

● G-20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum comparing 19 Countries and two regional bodies- the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU). G-20 was founded in 1999 to bring together systemically important industrialized developed and developing economies to discuss key issues in global economies. India is one of its members.

● India hosted the 18th G-20 Summit at Bharat Mandapam (New Delhi) in September 2023.