G20 Summit: PM Modi moots initiative to curb drug-terror funding nexus
Speaking at the first session of the G20 Leaders Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, Modi said, “To tackle the problem of drug trafficking, especially the spread of highly dangerous substances such as fentanyl, India is proposing a G20 initiative against the drug terrorism nexus. Let’s weaken the ravaged drug terrorism economy.”
The proposal aims to control drug trafficking, which poses a threat to public health, stability and security, to bring together financial management and security tools for effective actions, and to target an important source of terrorist financing.
While the drug terrorism nexus has fueled terrorism in Africa, in South Asia the Pakistan Army and ISI have facilitated the proceeds of drug trafficking to finance terrorism. The United States has imposed sanctions on individuals and organizations involved in the illegal supply of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals.
Modi noted that the G20 has long shaped global finance and growth, but current models deprive large populations of resources and lead to over-exploitation of nature; these challenges were felt acutely in Africa.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the work of the South African presidency in the areas of skilled migration, tourism, food security, artificial intelligence, digital economy, innovation and women’s empowerment, and called for greater representation of the Global South in global governance structures. Modi invoked the concept of holistic humanism, based on India’s civilizational wisdom, as a guiding principle for aligning progress with the planet. The Prime Minister also proposed the creation of a global repository of traditional knowledge under the G20. Developed based on Indian knowledge systems, this initiative will serve as a global platform for traditional knowledge and help preserve collective wisdom for future generations. The Prime Minister has proposed a G20 Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative that aims to train 1 million certified trainers in Africa over the next decade and enable large-scale skills development through a training of trainers model across multiple sectors, enhancing local capacity and long-term development.
He also proposed the creation of a G20 Global Healthcare Response Team, highlighting the need for trained medical experts from G20 countries who can be deployed quickly during health emergencies and natural disasters. This will strengthen global health security and emergency response capacities, he said.
Earlier, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed Modi with a namaste as the Indian leader arrived at the summit venue. Modi also met with the Presidents of France, Brazil and South Korea, as well as the Prime Ministers of Italy and the United Kingdom, on the sidelines of the first session of the G20 Summit. In a post on microblogging platform X, Modi said he had a “very productive meeting” with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the summit.
The three-day G20 Leaders Summit 2025 kicked off in South Africa on Friday. This year’s meeting is of particular importance as it is the first time the summit is held on the African continent.
The theme of the summit is “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability”.
South Africa focused on key priorities during the summit, including strengthening resilience to disasters, achieving debt sustainability for low-income countries, mobilizing finance for a just energy transition, and using critical minerals to promote inclusive and sustainable growth.
