‘NOW is the right moment’: PM Modi proposes 3 key initiatives in G20 Summit

At the first-ever G20 Summit hosted on African soil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a sweeping reorientation of global development priorities and unveiled three major initiatives aimed at transforming cooperation between the Global South and the world’s largest economies. 

Speaking at the leaders’ session on “Inclusive and sustainable economic growth leaving no one behind,” Modi said current development models have historically failed large sections of the world, warning that these approaches have “deprived large populations of resources” and accelerated “the over-exploitation of nature.” The Prime Minister said these inequities are most acutely visible in Africa, making this year’s summit an opportune moment for change. 

PM's three new proposals 

1. Global traditional knowledge repository: Modi said the repository would pool traditional medicinal and wellness knowledge from G20 and partner countries. Calling India’s civilisational heritage a “rich source” in this domain, he argued the platform would enable countries to pass on collective wisdom to promote health and well-being. 

2. G20-Africa skills multiplier initiative: Positioning Africa’s growth as essential for global progress, Modi proposed a decade-long programme to train one million certified trainers across Africa, strengthening human capital and closing workforce gaps. He noted that India has consistently stood in solidarity with Africa — highlighting that the African Union’s full G20 membership was secured during India’s presidency. 

3. G20 initiative on countering the drug-terror nexus: Calling the spread of potent synthetic drugs such as fentanyl a global emergency, Modi urged coordinated action to dismantle narco-terror networks. The initiative would combine governance, financial tracking, and security tools to choke trafficking routes and disrupt illicit financing that fuels terrorism. “Let us weaken the wretched drug-terror economy,” he said. 

PM Modi also proposed the creation of a G20 Global Healthcare Response Team — rapid-deployment medical units drawn from member nations that could be mobilised during pandemics and natural disasters. 

In a post shared on X (formally twitter), the Prime Minister wrote that with Africa hosting the G20 Summit for the first time, “NOW is the right moment for us to revisit our development parameters and focus on growth that is inclusive and sustainable,” adding that the Indian principle of Integral Humanism offers a pathway toward balancing progress with planetary well-being. 

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Modi emphasised Integral Humanism as the guiding vision to harmonise development with environmental stewardship, and noted that several “historic decisions” taken at the New Delhi G20 Summit have been carried forward this year. 

India-Australia-Canada tech partnership 

On the sidelines of the Summit, PM Modi announced the launch of the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership, after a trilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Canada’s Mark Carney.

The initiative aims to deepen cooperation in emerging technologies, diversify critical supply chains, accelerate clean-energy deployment, and encourage mass adoption of AI across democratic partners spanning three continents. 

PM Modi separately met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and UN Secretary-General António Guterres. He described his discussions with Guterres as “very productive,” covering global governance, development challenges, and shared priorities ahead of key multilateral reforms.