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New Delhi: Addressing the opening session of the G20 Summit in South Africa—the first time the grouping had convened on the African continent—Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a forceful case for reimagining global development models, arguing that existing frameworks have failed to ensure equitable growth and have instead accelerated environmental degradation.

Speaking on the theme “Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth Leaving No One Behind”, PM Modi said that while the G20 had historically shaped global finance and economic trajectories, its current paradigms deprived large sections of the global population of opportunities and resources—a reality most starkly visible in developing regions, particularly Africa.

He stressed that growth could no longer be pursued at the cost of ecological balance or social cohesion and called for development approaches rooted in sustainability, inclusivity and cultural wisdom.

Against this backdrop, the Prime Minister unveiled three major initiatives aimed at redefining global cooperation and strengthening Africa’s role in the world economy.

The first proposal was the creation of a Global Traditional Knowledge Repository under the G20 framework. PM Modi noted that communities across the world, especially indigenous and rural societies, have long preserved models of living that were environmentally balanced, culturally rooted and socially harmonious.

He said these time-tested practices hold valuable lessons for sustainable development and should not be allowed to disappear. India’s own Indian Knowledge Systems initiative, he suggested, could serve as the foundational base for this global platform, which would document, preserve and disseminate traditional wisdom for future generations and mainstream it into modern policy thinking.

The second initiative focused directly on Africa’s development potential. Highlighting that Africa’s progress is not a regional concern but a global imperative, PM Modi proposed the G20-Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative. Built on a train-the-trainers model, the programme would be supported and financed collectively by G20 countries and aim to create one million certified trainers across Africa over the next decade.

These trainers would then equip millions of young Africans with skills across key sectors, creating large-scale employment, boosting productivity and strengthening local economies.

The third proposal addressed emerging global security threats linked to synthetic narcotics. Warning about the rapid spread of lethal drugs such as fentanyl, PM Modi underscored their devastating impact on public health, social stability and international security.

He proposed a G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug-Terror Nexus, aimed at integrating financial, governance and security mechanisms to disrupt drug trafficking networks. The initiative, he said, would focus on choking illicit financial flows and targeting the funding channels that fuel terrorism and organised crime, while strengthening international coordination and intelligence-sharing.

Taken together, the three initiatives reflect India’s push to reposition development as people-centric, sustainability-driven and security-conscious, while placing Africa at the centre of global growth conversations.

PM Modi’s proposals signal an attempt to steer the G20 towards a model that balances economic expansion with ecological responsibility and social equity, moving away from exploitative frameworks that have dominated decades of globalisation.