G20 summit: PM Modi calls for global fight against drug-terror nexus

In his address at the G20 summit in Johannesburg on Saturday, PM Narendra Modi pitched for sustainable and inclusive growth and made four proposals, including a coordinated global effort to combat the drug-terror nexus, calling drug trafficking a threat to public health, stability and security and a source of terror financing.

He pushed for reconsidering the parameters of growth, saying the existing framework has left a vast section of the population deprived of resources and led to overexploitation of nature.




Modi, who was instrumental in getting the African Union as a permanent member of G20 at the New Delhi meet of the grouping two years ago, emphasised the continent has suffered the most because of skewed growth priorities. “Today, as Africa hosts G20 Summit for the first time, it is imperative for us to reconsider the parameters of development.”

The PM mentioned “integral humanism”, an idea associated with BJP’s ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay, as a path forward. “We will have to look at the individual, society and nature as an integrated whole. Only then can we achieve true harmony between progress and nature,” he said.

He proposed creation of a global traditional knowledge repository built on Indian knowledge systems’ initiative, saying this can preserve the collective wisdom of humanity for future generations

Batting for a global healthcare response team to bring together experts from G20 countries, he said it will ensure swift measures in case of health emergencies and natural disasters.

The speech was marked by an unabashed advocacy of what Modi called India’s civilisational ethos. India’s civilisational values, he said, can offer ways to reevaluate development parameters.

Focusing on Africa, PM said the continent can benefit from skills transfer. He said Africa’s development and empowerment of its young talent are in the interests of the entire world and proposed a ‘G20-Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative’. This can operate under a “train-the-trainers” model across various sectors, and all G20 partners can finance and support this effort, he added.

“Our collective goal will be to prepare one million certified trainers in Africa over the next decade. These trainers will, in turn, help equip millions of young people with skills. This initiative will have a powerful multiplier effect. It will strengthen local capacity and significantly contribute to Africa’s long-term development.”

PM Modi lauds South Africa’s presidency

Turning his attention to drug trafficking, PM Modi singled out the “rapid spread of highly lethal substances like fentanyl”. “This has emerged as a serious challenge to public health, social stability and global security. It also serves as a significant channel for financing terrorism,” he said.

A G20 initiative to counter this global threat can bring together various instruments relating to finance, governance and security. Only then can the drug-terror economy be effectively weakened, he said. Modi lauded South Africa’s presidency for making commendable progress on key areas such as skilled migration, tourism, food security, AI, digital economy, innovation and women’s empowerment, noting that historic initiatives undertaken at the New Delhi G20 Summit have been carried forward

PM Modi on Saturday also proposed a G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative, saying that for global growth, sustainability and clean energy are essential, and critical minerals have a huge role to play.

“Under this, innovations such as re-cycling, urban mining and second-life batteries can be promoted,” said PM Modi. This comes amid concerns China is leveraging its chokehold over supply of rare and critical minerals to further its strategic goals.

“If there is investment in circularity, then dependence on primary mining will be less. This will also reduce the pressure on the supply chain, and it will also be good for nature. This initiative can support joint research, technology standards and pilot recycling facilities in the Global South,” PM Modi said.

Resilience cannot be built in silos, stressed the PM. “The G20 should promote comprehensive strategies that combine nutrition, public health, sustainable agriculture, and disaster preparedness, to create a robust global defence,” he said.

PM Modi suggested a G20 open satellite data partnership saying India believes that the entire humanity should benefit from space technology. “This will make satellite data and analysis of space agencies of G20 countries more accessible, interoperable and usable for countries in the Global South,” he said.
Select The Times of India as your preferred source on Google Search