Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership at the recently concluded G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg drew overwhelming appreciation from South Africans, who publicly expressed gratitude for India’s consistent support during South Africa’s G20 presidency. Many took to X to acknowledge Modi’s contributions, celebrating him as one of the standout figures of the gathering.
The visit marked Modi’s 12th appearance at a G20 Summit since taking office in 2014, and his presence was widely felt across the event. Several users on X described him as the “MVP of the Summit,” highlighting how India’s backing helped strengthen South Africa’s role as host.
One user, Ulrich Janse van Vuuren, posted that he was deeply moved by India’s encouragement of South Africa and the broader African continent throughout the summit. Another user, Makhosazana Zwane-Siguqa, admired Modi’s enthusiasm, noting that his positive energy resonated with many attendees.
Modi received a warm welcome from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as world leaders assembled for the first-ever G20 Summit hosted on African soil. Social media reactions continued to pour in throughout his visit. Molatelo Racheku praised Modi as the “official influencer” of the Summit, citing his active digital presence and proactive diplomatic outreach.
Another user, Tokoloho Moletsane, thanked Modi and his media team for keeping the public informed with timely updates about the summit’s developments. Many users echoed similar sentiments, applauding India’s transparency and communication efforts during the high-profile event.
South African users also responded directly to Modi’s posts as he shared insights on his bilateral engagements. Tim Modise welcomed India’s participation, emphasizing that the world’s largest democracy carries the voice of over 1.4 billion people.
Comments such as “Mr. Modi is the MVP of this summit” and “Modi wins the social influencer award” further reflected the admiration shown by many South Africans. Several noted the deep cultural ties between India and South Africa, acknowledging the nation’s sizable Indian diaspora.
During the summit, Modi met with several global leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Australia’s Anthony Albanese, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed Ali, IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva, and WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The Johannesburg G20 Summit concluded with global leaders agreeing on key priorities such as disaster resilience, debt cooperation, clean energy transition, and critical mineral supply chains, marking a meaningful step forward in global collaboration.
