New Delhi/Johanessburg , 22 November (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a very productive conversation with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday, on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Johannesburg.

The meeting reinforced India's commitment to multilateralism and advancing the interests of the Global South on the world stage.The discussion took place after the summit's opening session, where Prime Minister Modi introduced four major proposals to the assembled world leaders.

These initiatives include creating a Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, a G20-Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative, a G20 Global Healthcare Response Team, and a G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug-Terror Nexus.

The talks with Guterres likely covered these proposals and their alignment with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Earlier in the day, the UN Secretary-General had urged G20 nations to use their collective power to alleviate global suffering, a theme that resonates with both the summit's agenda and India's long-standing diplomatic focus.

India and South Africa have been key partners in championing the African Union's recent permanent membership in the G20 and advocating for solutions to the high debt burdens affecting developing nations.

Prime Minister Modi's engagement with the UN chief underscores a central theme of his three-day visit to South Africa: strengthening the voice of the Global South in global governance. His participation in his 12th G20 summit continues a series of high-level diplomatic engagements, including a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday to discuss defense, security, and trade.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar