NEW DELHI: Congress on Friday took a swipe at Prime Minister
Narendra Modi as he left for Johannesburg, the venue for this year’s G20 Summit. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh suggested the prime minister was attending the event “safely and securely” because
US President Donald Trump has chosen to boycott it, and wondered whether “huglomacy” with “my good friend” would revive when the next Summit takes place in the US.
The prime minister embarked on a three-day visit to South Africa on Friday to attend the G20 Summit.
Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, noted that the next G20 Summit, a year from now, will be held in the United States and that by then India’s trade “(or)deal” with Washington would presumably be completed.
“But if in the past seven months, President Trump has claimed 61 times that he halted Operation Sindoor, imagine how many more times he will repeat those claims in the next twelve months,” Ramesh said on X.
He said the prime minister was attending the Johannesburg Summit “safely and securely” since “President Trump and the US are boycotting the summit”.
“Recall that Mr Modi didn't go to Kuala Lumpur a few days back for the India-Asean Summit since he would then have to come face-to-face with President Trump,” he added.
Calling the situation “extraordinary,” Ramesh criticised US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for opposing South Africa’s G20 themes of solidarity, equality and sustainability on grounds that they amounted to anti-Americanism.
“It is incidentally the very same Marco Rubio who was the first, at 5:37 PM on May 10th, to announce to the world the abrupt halt to Operation Sindoor,” he said.
Ramesh also pointed out that the G20 presidency rotates annually: India assumed it from Indonesia in November 2023 and handed it to Brazil in November 2024. South Africa is now set to hand it to the US, which will not be present at the Summit.
“So the next G20 Summit a year from now will be in the US. By then, presumably, India's trade (or)deal with the US will be done. But if in the past seven months, President Trump has claimed 61 times that he halted Operation Sindoor, imagine how many more times he will repeat those claims in the next twelve months,” he reiterated.
“Will huglomacy with ‘my good friend’ revive or whether there will be just handshakes or whether Mr. Modi doesn't go — time alone will tell,” he said.
In his departure statement, Modi said he would present India’s perspective at the forum in line with its vision of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and “One Earth, One Family and One Future”.
“Will be attending the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is a particularly special Summit as it is being held in Africa. Various global issues will be discussed there. Will be meeting various world leaders during the Summit,” Modi posted on X.
On the sidelines, the prime minister is expected to hold several bilateral meetings and will also attend the sixth IBSA Summit. He is visiting South Africa from November 21–23 at the invitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
This year’s G20 theme is “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability”.
The Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday that Modi is expected to speak in all three sessions of the Summit.
The G20 represents 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population. Its members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the UK, the US, the EU and the African Union.
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