PM Modi Holds Bilateral Talks With Leaders Of Japan, Canada And Italy As G20 Concludes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral meetings with the leaders of Japan, Canada and Italy on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa and discussed several issues of mutual importance.

PM Modi met Sanae Takaichi, the first woman Prime Minister of Japan. This was their first bilateral meeting after she was elected to the top position. PM Modi had earlier spoken to Takaichi in October to congratulate her after assuming office.

Had a productive meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan. We discussed ways to add momentum to bilateral cooperation in areas such as innovation, defence, talent mobility and more. We are also looking to enhance trade ties between our nations. A strong India-Japan… pic.twitter.com/4UexmElSwQ

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 23, 2025

The two leaders discussed the shared vision of advancing the partnership between the two countries, and the leaders underscored that stronger India-Japan ties are vital for global peace, stability and prosperity. Takaichi had earlier said her government will deepen multilateral dialogue with India and other countries.

PM Modi Speaks With Canadian Counterpart

Prime Minister Modi also held talks with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney as the two countries attempt to rebuild relations following a brief period of tensions under Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, over the death of a designated Khalistani terrorist.

Modi said both sides had agreed to set a target of $50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, and the Canadian Pension Funds are also showing keen interest in Indian companies. “We also agreed to unlock the potential for deeper cooperation in defence and space sectors and meet again in the near future,” he added.

Had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada. We appreciated the significant momentum in our bilateral ties since our earlier meeting held during the G7 Summit hosted by Canada. We agreed to further advance our relations in the coming months,… pic.twitter.com/lnuj2SGoWu

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 23, 2025

This came after Modi announced an Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership to work more closely in areas such as advanced tech, clean energy and artificial intelligence. The initiative will deepen collaboration between democratic partners across three continents and three oceans in emerging technologies, support diversification of supply chains, clean energy and mass adoption of AI.

According to a statement by the Canadian government, the initiative will draw on the natural strengths of the three countries and have an emphasis on green energy innovation and building resilient supply chains, including in critical minerals.

PM Modi also held a bilateral meeting with his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni. The two leaders greeted each other warmly on Saturday as world leaders gathered in Johannesburg for the G20 Summit on Saturday.

#WATCH | Johannesburg, South Africa | Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a bilateral meeting with the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit.

(Source: ANI/DD News) pic.twitter.com/jFOVxvtu0Q

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2025

Earlier in the day, the Indian Prime Minister spoke to Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and his counterpart from the Netherlands, Dick Schoof. Modi also held talks with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

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G20 Summit Concludes

The G20 Summit, which began on November 21 in Johannesburg, South Africa, formally came to an end on Sunday. “This Gavel of this G20 summit, formally closes this summit and now moves on to the next President of the G20, which is the United States, where we shall see each other again next year. The summit is therefore closed,” declared South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The United States had boycotted the South Africa summit over alleged discriminatory policies of the government, which heightened tensions but ultimately did not mar the success of the multilateral event. The G20 declaration adopted on Saturday addressed the climate crisis and other global challenges without US input.

The declaration stressed the seriousness of climate change and the need to better adapt to it, praising ambitious targets to boost renewable energy and noting the punishing levels of debt service suffered by poor countries. The joint statement also raised alarms over a US-backed peace plan for Ukraine that requires Kyiv to cede territory and cut its military strength.

PM Modi, occupied with a packed summit schedule, emphasised the need for a Global Framework for Talent Mobility on Sunday, urging a shift from ‘Jobs of Today’ to ‘Capabilities of Tomorrow’. He also invited all G20 countries to participate in the AI Impact Summit in February 2026 with the theme “Sarvajanam Hitaya, Sarvajanam Sukhaya”.

He called for a global compact based on the principles of transparency, human oversight, safety-by-design and prevention of misuse. He emphasised that while AI should expand human capabilities, the ultimate decision should be made by humans themselves.

(with inputs from agencies)