PM Modi Unveils Four Global Initiatives at G20, Says Indian Values Can Guide Progress

International

oi-Ruchika Pareek

Published: Saturday, November 22, 2025, 16:54 [IST]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled four major initiatives aimed at advancing global development during the G20 Leaders' Summit in Johannesburg. His proposals include establishing a Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, launching an Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative, creating a Global Healthcare Response Team, and initiating a G20 framework to counter the Drug-Terror Nexus.

Speaking during the first session on inclusive and sustainable growth, PM Modi said these efforts would support comprehensive progress and reflect India's civilisational values, which he believes can guide global development.

Explaining the Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, Modi said it would preserve traditional wisdom that highlights proven models for sustainable living, ensuring this knowledge is accessible to future generations. He added that India has a rich legacy in this area and that documenting such wisdom would contribute to better health and well-being worldwide.

PM Modi, who is in South Africa on a three-day visit, stressed that Africa's development is essential for global advancement. He reaffirmed India's longtime solidarity with the continent. Detailing the Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative, he said it would operate on a train-the-trainer model with the goal of producing one million certified trainers in Africa by the next decade. He noted that the African Union's induction as a permanent G20 member during India's G20 Presidency was a matter of pride and that this new initiative builds on that achievement.

The Prime Minister also proposed a G20 Global Healthcare Response Team to strengthen preparedness for health emergencies. He said the idea is to create teams of trained medical professionals from G20 countries who can be rapidly deployed during crises. "We are stronger when we work together in the face of health emergencies and natural disasters," he told world leaders.

Additionally, Modi called for a G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug-Terror Nexus, aimed at tackling drug trafficking and halting the spread of dangerous substances such as fentanyl. "Let us weaken the wretched drug-terror economy," he urged the summit.