PM Modi meets Indian origin tech entrepreneurs, community members in Johannesburg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with Indian origin tech entrepreneurs and members of the Indian community based in South Africa and called upon them to deepen their engagement with India. Modi, who is in Johannesburg to attend the G20 Leaders' Summit, in a social media post said he had a "fruitful interaction" with Indian origin tech entrepreneurs and they talked about the work they are doing in sectors such as FinTech, social media platforms, agriculture, education, healthcare, medical devices and more. "Called upon them to deepen their engagement with India and work closely with our people," he said. The prime minister also met members of the Indian community based in South Africa who are actively working with different community organisations. "They shared their experiences on various issues and were very appreciative of India's strides across different fields. Urged them to keep up the momentum with which they are enhancing people-to-people linkages," he said.

"Also asked them to boost the popularity of Indian culture among the people of South Africa, including practices such as Yoga, Ayurveda," he added. "The prime minister emphasised their role as 'a living bridge' between the two countries. He appreciated the contribution of over 1.7 million strong Indian diaspora in South Africa towards nurturing the historical bonds of friendship between India and South Africa," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X. Modi also lauded their efforts to help the youth connect with the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, he added. The prime minister also received a 'Kalash' from the Chinmaya Mission, consisting of Shree Anna or millets from India as well as South Africa.