Johannesburg: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa lightened the mood during bilateral talks on Sunday when he jokingly told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India should have warned South Africa about the challenges of hosting the G20 Summit.
“You should have told us earlier how difficult it is to host the G20. Perhaps we would have run away,” Ramaphosa remarked with a smile, drawing laughter from PM Modi and others present in the room.
South Africa is hosting the first-ever G20 Summit to be held on African soil. In his opening statement at the India–South Africa delegation-level talks, President Ramaphosa expressed gratitude for India’s support as Pretoria prepared for the global event.
“We are grateful for the support India extended to South Africa for hosting the G20. We have learned a great deal from India’s presidency… your hosting was magnificent. The infrastructure and arrangements were exceptional. Ours is much smaller,” Ramaphosa said.
Prime Minister Modi responded promptly and cheerfully: “Small is always beautiful.”
India hosted the 18th G20 Summit in September 2023 at the iconic Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The venue was inaugurated shortly before the summit and became a showcase of India’s organisational capability.
Under India’s presidency in 2023, the African Union was inducted as a permanent member of the G20—an important step that strengthened Africa’s representation in global decision-making.
The G20 Summit represents the culmination of year-long meetings among ministers, senior officials, and civil society groups across participating nations.
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