Johannesburg, November 23, 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the India–Brazil–South Africa (IBSA) Leaders’ Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Sunday. The meeting, hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, was also attended by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation among the three major democracies from the Global South and reinforcing the bloc’s role in shaping global governance. The Prime Minister described the meeting as timely, noting that it coincided with the first-ever G20 Summit held on African soil and marked the conclusion of four consecutive G20 presidencies by Global South countries three of which were held by IBSA members.
He said this sequence had led to meaningful initiatives promoting human-centric development, multilateral reform, and sustainable growth, all of which reflect IBSA’s shared priorities. Prime Minister Modi underlined that IBSA is more than a partnership of three nations. He called it a vital platform linking three continents and uniting three major democracies and emerging economies with shared values and aspirations. He said IBSA represents not just political cooperation but a deeper bond of solidarity and diversity that can serve as a model for the Global South. Emphasizing the need for reform in international institutions, the Prime Minister observed that global governance systems are increasingly distant from the realities of the 21st century.
He called for a strong, unified message from IBSA on the urgent need to reform the United Nations Security Council, stating that institutional reform is no longer a choice but an imperative for equitable global representation. On the issue of counter-terrorism, Prime Minister Modi urged closer coordination among IBSA nations and stressed that there should be no room for double standards in combating terrorism. He proposed strengthening security cooperation, recalling that under India’s IBSA chairmanship in 2021, the three countries’ National Security Advisors had held their first-ever meeting a mechanism he suggested should be institutionalized to enhance collaboration on security matters. Highlighting the transformative role of technology in human-centric development, the Prime Minister proposed the creation of an “IBSA Digital Innovation Alliance.”
Digital innovation alliance proposed by Prime Minister Modi
The initiative would facilitate the sharing of digital public infrastructure models such as India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), health platforms like CoWIN, cybersecurity frameworks, and women-led technology ventures. He said the Alliance could help accelerate digital growth across member states and develop scalable solutions for the Global South. The Prime Minister also invited IBSA leaders to the AI Impact Summit in India next year, where the alliance could be launched and discussions on ethical, safe, and human-centric artificial intelligence frameworks advanced. The Prime Minister identified several new areas for cooperation, including climate-resilient agriculture, millet production, natural farming, green energy, traditional medicine, disaster resilience, and health security.
Modi emphasizes importance of human centric technology
Commending the IBSA Fund’s work in supporting development projects across forty countries in sectors such as education, health, women’s empowerment, and solar energy, he proposed the establishment of an “IBSA Fund for Climate Resilient Agriculture” to further strengthen South-South cooperation. Concluding his remarks, Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed that IBSA nations could complement one another’s strengths to drive sustainable development and demonstrate how democratic cooperation across continents can contribute to global welfare. He expressed appreciation to President Lula for his leadership as IBSA Chair and to President Ramaphosa for hosting the meeting in Johannesburg, a city he described as vibrant and symbolic of the partnership’s shared spirit. – By Content Syndication Services.