Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled a wide-ranging proposal during the second session of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, calling for stronger global collaboration on clean energy, critical minerals, disaster resilience and satellite-based data sharing. One of the key ideas he put forward was the creation of a G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership, which would allow developing nations to access satellite data generated by G20 space agencies. This shared data could be used to support agriculture, fisheries management, disaster response, climate monitoring and other essential developmental activities. Modi said the initiative would promote interoperability while strengthening the collective ability of countries to respond to environmental and humanitarian challenges.
Addressing world leaders in a session titled “A Resilient World — the G20’s Contribution: Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change, Just Energy Transitions, Food Systems”, Modi stressed that natural disasters continue to threaten a large portion of the global population each year. He warned that building resilience requires unified, cross-sectoral strategies rather than isolated efforts. Linking nutrition, public health, sustainable agriculture and disaster preparedness, the Prime Minister argued, is essential for constructing a more secure global system. He reiterated that the G20—representing the world’s largest economies—must lead with integrated policies that strengthen global resilience.
Modi’s speech highlighted India’s growing leadership in disaster management. He noted that during India’s 2023 Presidency, the country established the Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group, and he congratulated South Africa for advancing its work. He also emphasised that disaster management should shift from being merely response-driven to being development-oriented, recalling India’s founding of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) as a step in that direction.
As South Africa hosts the G20 Summit—marking the first time the gathering is held on the African continent and the fourth consecutive summit hosted in the Global South—Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to sustainability and clean energy transitions. He announced the proposal for a G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative, which would promote recycling, urban mining, second-life battery projects and innovations aimed at reducing supply chain pressures on critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the initiative seeks to strengthen supply chain security, boost joint research and create cleaner pathways for global development.
Modi reminded the grouping that at the New Delhi G20 Summit in 2023, members committed to tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy-efficiency rates by 2030. To meet this goal, he said, developed countries must ensure affordable climate finance and timely technology transfers to developing nations.
He also pointed to the Deccan Principles on Food Security, formulated during India’s presidency, and urged G20 members to use them as the foundation for a future roadmap on global food security. Modi stressed that climate change has its most damaging effects on agriculture, leading to disruptions that threaten food supply worldwide. He cited India’s own efforts—such as the world’s largest food security programme, the largest public health insurance scheme, and expansive crop insurance coverage—as examples of holistic solutions. He also highlighted India’s push to promote Shree Anna (millets) as a nutritious and climate-resilient food source.
Modi reiterated his call for strengthening the voice of the Global South within global governance institutions. He noted that the permanent inclusion of the African Union in the G20 at the New Delhi Summit was a historic step, and said that this inclusive approach must extend beyond G20 platforms. The Prime Minister arrived in Johannesburg on Friday at the Waterkloof Air Force Base to attend the Summit hosted by South Africa.
