Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni at the G20 Leaders’ Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa. (@pmoindia/YT via PTI Photo) G20 world leaders meet: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni shared a warm moment in Johannesburg on Saturday as world leaders gathered for the G20 Summit.
The two leaders exchanged a handshake and smiles ahead of the opening session at the Nasrec Expo Centre, where South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed arriving delegations.
This meeting comes months after their last interaction on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, in June.
Their personal rapport was also reflected in the Indian edition of Meloni’s book I Am Giorgia, to which Modi contributed a preface. In it, he wrote that ties between India and Italy are rooted in “shared civilizing instincts, such as the defence of heritage, the strength of community, and the celebration of femininity as a guiding force.”
Responding to Modi’s words, Meloni said she felt “deeply touched and honoured,” adding that she holds “profound respect” for the Indian Prime Minister.
Who’s at G20 Summit?
While G20 representatives meet throughout the year, the annual leaders’ summit is the marquee moment. US President Donald Trump is notably absent, boycotting the event over allegations that South Africa “mistreats white people”.
Among those attending this year’s summit are:
China’s Premier Li Qiang
French President Emmanuel Macron
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
