Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned whether Modi would intervene with what he described as the Prime Minister’s close ally in Washington.
Writing on X, he noted that Trump’s announcement directly contradicts the G20’s principles.
“The Prime Minister is the self-proclaimed champion of both Africa and the Global South. Will he take up South Africa’s cause with his good friend and ensure that it will get to attend the next G20 Summit, as it is perfectly entitled to?” he asked.
Trump had earlier posted on Truth Social that he would block South Africa’s invitation to the 2026 meeting, which the United States is hosting.
“South Africa will not be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20,” he wrote, claiming that Washington had suspended payments and subsidies to Pretoria over what he said were unaddressed human rights concerns relating to white communities.
Ramesh stressed that South Africa’s place in the G20 is not a matter of political favour, but of economic significance.
He pointed out that it has been part of the group “from the very beginning because it is the continent’s largest economy by GDP,” adding that it has been a “valued presence” since the first summit in 2008.
He also highlighted the deep political and historical connections linking India and South Africa through partnerships such as BRICS, IBSA, and BASIC.
Ramesh invoked the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi’s years in South Africa, noting that “an Indian lawyer went to South Africa in the late nineteenth century and returned home as a revolutionary.”
Another Congress figure, Anand Sharma, sharply criticised Trump’s decision, calling it an affront to Africa and the Global South.
“It is an insult to the African continent. India has a moral duty to take a firm position and mobilise the Global South to collectively reject the new imperialism,” he said.
His office emphasised that South Africa had fulfilled all its responsibilities when it formally handed over the G20 presidency to a United States Embassy representative earlier this year.
