A G20 Summit logo
| Photo Credit:
WALDO SWIEGERS
G20 members are unlikely to include a joint criticism of US tariffs in the communication to be released at the end of the Leaders Summit in Johannesburg on November 22-23, said sources.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed his visit to Johannesburg on November 21-23 to attend the summit, per the Ministry of External Affairs.
“The meeting of the Trade Ministers’ vertical last month failed to reach a consensus on the matter of tariffs. So, it is unlikely that any criticism of US tariff will figure in the G20 leaders’ statement,” a source tracking the matter told businessline.
Trump boycott
Interestingly, with US President Donald Trump boycotting the G-20, there are also discussions around whether a joint declaration would be at all released at the end of the summit.
“The possibility of the G20 Summit ending with just the chair’s summary document, and not a declaration, is also a likelihood that is being talked about. But hopefully, there would be a joint declaration as the agenda includes many important issues of interest to the Global South,” a second source said.
Joint criticism of US tariffs, currently at 50 per cent for India and between 10 per cent and 25 per cent on most others, would have served the interest of most G20 members, but some members may not want to offend Washington, the source added.
South Africa’s G20 theme of Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability, which focusses on issues supporting developing nations such as debt sustainability of low-income countries and financing measures to cope with disasters caused by climate change, was termed as anti-American by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier this year.
Trump recently announced that he would boycott the meeting completely and no official from his administration would attend due to the alleged discrimination and human rights abuse against the Afrikaner (white minority) population in South Africa. This was denied vehemently by the country.
The US reportedly told South Africa not to issue a joint statement as it would not support any declaration described as a consensus G20 position. South African President Ramaphosa, however, has indicated that he would push for a statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, too, would not be present at the summit due to the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against him for alleged war crimes. However, Kremlin stated that Russia will be represented “at a worthy level”.
Argentinian President Javier Milei and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador have decided to skip the summit, but they will send senior officials to represent their countries.
The G20 includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey and the United States, plus the European Union and the African Union.
Published on November 20, 2025
