Jaishankar Engages with South African President Ramaphosa During G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during his visit to Johannesburg. He conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's warm greetings and assured India's support for South Africa's G20 priorities. Jaishankar was in South Africa for the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where he engaged with various global leaders.

South Africa is hosting the G20 for the first time on the African continent. During the meeting, Jaishankar interacted with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan. "Glad to meet FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia this evening in Johannesburg. Reviewed the continued progress of India-Russia bilateral cooperation," Jaishankar stated.

G20 Engagements and Bilateral Talks

Jaishankar discussed recent developments related to the Ukraine conflict with Lavrov, including a meeting in Riyadh. They agreed to keep in touch regarding these matters. Additionally, he met Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira to discuss global issues and enhance bilateral relations.

With Singapore's Balakrishnan, Jaishankar had a fruitful conversation about global affairs and strengthening ties between their countries. "Always a good conversation with FM @VivianBala of Singapore, this time in Johannesburg on the sidelines of G20 FMM. Discussed the state of the world and our work in furthering bilateral ties," he posted on X.

BRICS Summit and Future Plans

Jaishankar also engaged with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, discussing bilateral relations, global developments, and their roles in the G20 and Brazil's BRICS Presidency. The Brazilian government announced that the next BRICS summit will occur in Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7.

BRICS, established in 2009, includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. Notably, it is a major international group without United States participation.

Strengthening Ties with Ethiopia

In addition to these discussions, Jaishankar met Ethiopian counterpart Gedion Timotheos. He congratulated Timotheos on his appointment and expressed a commitment to strengthening their longstanding bilateral partnership.

The series of meetings underscored India's active role in international diplomacy and its efforts to foster stronger ties with various nations through platforms like the G20 and BRICS.