Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Guyana on Wednesday, marking the final stop of his three-nation tour after attending the G20 Summit in Brazil. During the summit in Rio de Janeiro, he engaged with global leaders, including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Modi’s trip also included a visit to Nigeria, where he held talks with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and interacted with the Indian community.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced Modi’s departure from Brazil, saying, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi emplanes for Guyana, the last leg of his three-nation visit, after a constructive and fruitful G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.”
In Brazil, Modi received a warm welcome from the Indian community, who greeted him with Sanskrit chants and cultural performances. During the summit, he had a brief interaction with President Biden, marking their first meeting since the US presidential election.
In his address at the G20, Modi reiterated India’s theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” emphasizing the relevance of this message in the face of ongoing global challenges. He urged the G20 to focus on alleviating the food, fuel, and fertilizer crises, which have hit the Global South the hardest.
The summit, which included leaders such as Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Macron, and Starmer, also saw Modi discussing India’s initiatives to combat hunger and poverty. He highlighted how India had lifted 250 million people out of poverty in the last decade and is currently providing free food grains to 800 million citizens.
Modi also met with several world leaders during the G20, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, with whom he reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening ties in sectors like energy, biofuels, defense, and agriculture. Discussions with Macron centered on enhancing collaboration in space, energy, and AI.
A key moment of the summit was Modi’s meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, during which they discussed deepening cooperation in technology, green energy, and security. Starmer announced that trade talks between India and the UK would resume in the new year.
Additionally, India and Italy unveiled a five-year strategic action plan covering defense, trade, clean energy, and connectivity. Modi also held bilateral talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, where the two launched a Renewable Energy Partnership to boost investment in renewable sectors.
Modi’s visit to Guyana, which will conclude on November 21, marks the first time in more than 50 years that an Indian prime minister has visited the country. The trip was made at the invitation of Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
